The Darden Dove Shoot, Like Christmas On Labor Day

Opening day of dove season has come and gone again. It was a good opening day at the annual shoot held each year at Darden’s Farm south of Washington, Ga. in Taliaferro County.

Some things this year were the same, some things were different, as they always are. Some things could not have been better, and some things could have been improved upon, but not by much.

Before I give the box score for the most recent opening day, I want to talk about how special all these opening days have been to me and to those who come back year after year.

The dove shoot at Darden’s has a Christmas-like patina that hangs over the pole barn and fields that are the setting for the event.

And it truly is an event.

There are tables and chairs for more than 100. The tables have red and white checked table clothes and the chairs are sturdy but simple. The food is also sturdy and simple, but the quality is excellent: pulled pork, Brunswick stew, cole slaw, chips, sliced bread, a sweet snack and a belly washer of your choice. There are always seconds and always leftovers.

After the meal, which typically begins about 1 p.m., there is the chat. Each attendee is asked to stand and introduce themselves and to share something personal about themselves.

We do it every year, and what is truly remarkable is that so many of us have been coming for years and we look forward to doing it again.

So, like Christmas, or a family homecoming, we renew friendships and acquaintances each year before we take the field, noting that for whatever reason, some old friends could not attend while there are some new faces each year. It is a warm and friendly and well-fed safe bunch. And a safe bunch of dove hunters.

Ray Wilkes, of Jefferson, enjoyed seeing his Boykin spaniel Millie retrieve her first dove.

While our results in the dove field this year were above average, it was not our best ever in terms of number of birds. After each opening day, there is always speculation about the birds. One thing that was true this year was that many of the birds were young and small. 

From late June this year through almost all of July and early August, the weather was often wet and rainy. Anyone who was trying to keep the grass mowed at home knew how hard it was to keep up this summer. Doves are among the worst nest builders, and the heavy rain and wind can knock eggs and young birds from the nest before they are ready to survive out on their own. The summer weather may have kept production down a bit during those crucial seven or eight weeks worth of nesting time this year.

We did again have a youngster take his first-ever dove, tying a record set by many over the years on this field. Many kids have taken their first dove on the Darden Dove Shoot—two of those kids then went on to be members off the USA Olympic Shooting Team.

Wilkes Edwards, 8, with his first dove. Wilkes and his cousin Emmie Kate Neal, 10, are both from Hoschton.

As we all know, Christmas takes a lot of work and preparation before the event, and it leaves a certain amount of mess behind at the end of the day. So do dove shoots. Volunteers lay the foundation for such an excellent event to come off without a hitch each year, especially Palmer Equipment Company, Fat Matt’s Rib Shack and Lt. Gen. Buck Bedard.

I hope all of your opening days are as full and enjoyable as ours are each year. Perhaps you will be one of our new faces next year.