Mike Watson faced north as he sat under an enormous elm tree at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge doing what he loves best – hunting.
“Some of them shoot at ’em a mile high,” Watson said as the sound of shotguns echoed in the distance.
“I just get peace of mind coming out here. I know a lot of older people who enjoy eating wild game, and I like it myself,” Watson said while dove hunting nine days ago.
It is an annual ritual for some of the area’s bird hunters at the Hiwassee Wildlife Management Area in Meigs County, Tenn.
But this was not opening day for dove at the Wildlife Management Area, according to Tennessee Wildlife Management officer Jason Jackson.