We should not look down our noses at preserve hunting any more than we should at clay targets. Both serve a role in keeping shooting alive. In fact I must have killed 250,000 clay targets over the years and at best a fifth of that amount in wild or preserve birds. 95% wild and maybe 5% preserve but that may change in the next 30 years.

I am a far better shooter and hunter because of clay target shooting, a better hunter because of preserve shooting opertunities and a much happier hunter beacuse I know that there are other options for my shooting pleasure. There is no need to harvest a full limit to feel my hunting day has been a success.

While I like to watch a good dog work that is like looking at a good looking woman. Nice to see but more fun to be involved with. In this case shooting a few birds so the dog gets to do more than run around and sniff.

I figure that my dove managment and hunting decreases my farm income four to five thousand dollars. Plus another thousand for the opening day feed and refreshments. My quail management and hunting cost me about half of that amount or more. But if I really wanted to make money on my farm I would sell the SOB and invest the money in something else. In fact, you will find most people who own a farm really only have modest dreams and wants. Getting rich is almost never one of them. Good thing too.