The BDN is looking for reader-submitted outdoor stories. Here’s one from Free Martin.
These days it seems harder to find time to get into the woods and breathe some fresh air. I have four boys and a 1-year-old golden retriever. My golden gives me that look every day that he needs some mud, water and woods. My youngest 6-year-old son, Hunter, is the only one that isn’t involved in football, basketball or playing with friends. He just wants to hunt and fish all day, thankfully with dad.
So I got home after work and needed a little woods time. My other boys were tied up with other engagements and my wife was on her seventh Zoom call of the day, so she was locked down with work. When I walked through the door I said to Hunter, “Grab your BB gun, I’ll grab my shotgun, let’s go, we have an hour until sunset.” He threw on his rubber boots, grabbed his BB gun and jumped in the truck. I grabbed my shotgun and three shells of birdshot and said, “Let’s go shoot a partridge for dinner.” He said, “Let’s get two, dad.” I thought uh, OK. I doubt we will see anything five miles out of Bangor but said, “Sure, let’s get two.” So Hunter, my golden retriever, Ripley, and I struck out for a dirt road.
We know a dirt road pretty close to Bangor that we started down. I told Hunter to be on high alert for partridge walking along a stone wall, hiding in the ditch cover or maybe up in a tree. We were no more than 10 minutes away from home when we got a great surprise.
As Hunter was eagle-eyeing the forest floor for a partridge, I was driving down the road when I noticed a big bird fly into a maple tree. I stopped the truck and looked up and realized it was a partridge. I told Hunter I had seen one. I stopped the truck slowly. opened the door slowly, loaded my 12 gauge slowly, chambered a shell slowly. I could see Hunter start to plug his ears. I fired and the partridge fell to the ground. It was amazing. I usually miss them.
Here is where the story gets crazy. Hunter said to me “Dad, you missed, shoot it.” I said, “I did shoot it Hunter, It’s over there on the ground.” Hunter said, “Daddy, you missed, I can see it from here, it’s right there.”
I couldn’t see anything and I didn’t know what he was looking at. I thought he was seeing a nest or something. I said again, “Hunter, I am going to let Ripley out to go fetch the bird.” He said, “Daddy, you have to shoot it first, it’s right there in that tree.” Again, I had no idea what he was looking at so I went around to his side of the truck for a better look.
He said, “Daddy, that partridge you missed is right there on that limb.” I looked at what he was looking at and sure enough, there was the partridge — a second partridge — sitting on a limb. I loaded in another shell and took that one. Hunter was very happy and RIpley had some work to do. He retrieved both birds and brought them back to us. It was incredible.
When we had both birds in hand I have never seen a happier boy. He also made me a very happy dad and Ripley was the happiest golden retriever I have ever seen.
We texted my wife Heidi: “We just got dinner.” We left the house 15 minutes before we shot the birds so she wasn’t sure what I was talking about. I was still on cloud nine and in shock that we got two partridge just outside of Bangor but Hunter and Ripley were still looking for a third bird.
We never did get a third bird but we did get two more than I thought we would. We came home after doing some target practice with his BB gun and dressed the birds, prepared them for dinner. We paired our bounty with baked beans and a ceasar salad and enjoyed our fresh Maine feast.
Hunter said “Daddy, this is why everyone should live in Maine. They can leave their house and come home with dinner in ten minutes.” I couldn’t help but think he was so right but I had to inform him it doesn’t always work that way, so we need to appreciate every bite. We all enjoyed our birds, beans and salad for dinner. What I enjoyed most was sharing that moment with my 6- year-old son.
We Mainers are very blessed. I wish all moms and dads that take their little ones hunting much success this fall. Keeping the tradition alive is important to me but selfishly, this is one day of hunting this dad will never forget. Good luck to all hunters this fall. Be safe and remember, sometimes our kids are smarter than us. We should always listen to our kids. They truly are amazing.
Want to share your outdoor adventures with BDN readers? Send them to jholyoke@bangordailynews.com