Dove Hunting

All year long the kids talk about how they want to go hunting with daddy, and specifically dove hunting (because you get to run around and you don't have to be quiet). Rebecca and Owen had both gone before, Maggie had not and neither had I. So....we ALL loaded up (plus Miss Kate!) and headed to the Honeymoon Ranch outside Marble Falls for an evening of shooting Kyle's (two) birthday handguns and then some dove hunting at dusk. 

Car selfie. Please notice the matching camo. This is what city folk look like when we go to the country. True country people can pick us out a mile away.

Outside selfie.

First target practice with the little rifle (I really should know what it is - a 22?).

Then we moved on to the handguns. One is very gangstery. The other is very wild-westy.

Maggie's pic of me. I was a lot happier than this one looks.

Girl group selfie.

The Mags.

Miss Rebecca.

Owen. (I am guessing I didn't get as many pics of him as the girls because I was busy keeping the girls out of the gun range.)

Miss Kate's turn.

We shot cans, then targets. So much fun! Then it started to get dusky and it was time for the menfolk (with hunting licenses aka only Kyle) to try to get some dove. Ended up being an extra fun weekend because Kyle's cousin Jason and his two boys from Houston were also out at the ranch (his mom, Kyle's Aunt Cynthia lives just down the road). So between Jason, his oldest son, and Kyle, they got about 12? dove. Not a super great evening, but acceptable, I'm told. Jason and his boys were hunting the next day too so they graciously let us take the whole lot. Definitely fun to watch. And the kids had a great time running around and trying to find where the bird landed if they got one.

And then there is the dressing of the little guys. (Or undressing, really.) Those little guys come apart in a surprisingly easy way - it was a little gross but mostly fascinating.

Girls helping out.

Beautiful sunset over the water as our backdrop.

Other than the fact that next time Kate is packing the cooler, we wouldn't have changed a thing about the evening. :)