Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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J6 student life

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RISE by Kari Casterline

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p early rise continued from page 15 In the early morning hours, Shiloh Dullon, sophomore in sec- ondar education, and Zach Morrison, sophomore in agricultural economics, searched for the perfect location in the hills west of Manhattan to dove hunt. As the sun peaked over the horizon, Dutton and Morrison waited next to a pond for a do e to fly over. Normally at night, by a body of water, doves fly in, .Morrison said. And in the morning if you are waiting before the sun comes up, the dove will fly out. Morrison said waiting was the game when he tried to shoot doves because they were small and blended in with other birds. However, he said a distinct flying pattern sepa- rated them. As Dutton and Morrison wailed patiently, blended into nature, Dutton slowly moved down the field to scout the area. Dove hunting is waiting, Dutton said. Usually, you let them fly by and you don ' t have to walk, but because we got a late start, we had to go out and find them. Hunting every chance they had, both Dutton and Morrison said they went on walk-in grounds around Manhattan, but usually hunted back home on family land where Dutton first started to hunt. My grandpa gave me my first gun, Dutton said. My dad, uncle and grandpa got me started, then I started going with friends in high school. Helen Hands, of the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, a divi- sion of Kansas Wildlife and Parks, said between 70,000 and 80,000 people hunted doves in Kansas during the season. Dutton said dove season was the most popular because it opened first, and people used dove hunting as practice for other seasons to come. Morrison said he went dove hunting to pass the time before pheasant season opened. Though Dutton said he spent most of the time constantly shooting and reloading, he found down time to relax. (Dove hunting) is relaxing, Dutton said. There is more time to sit with buddies. While Dutton brought back the only bird, Oct. 4, the two men experienced bonding time as they hunted. I don ' t care if I hit one, Dutton said. I ' d just like to say that I shot at one. As he cleaned fiis only catch, Dutton exposes the only eatable part of the dove. The breast has two parts — the top layer Is dark meat and the bottom is white, Dutton said. You can cook the breast with bacon wrapped around It, or put it in mushroom soup. Photo by Chris Hanewlnckel hunting rr