A Great Start to Forever: February 2008

People Making a Difference in Conservation

A Great Start to Forever: February 2008 Thirteen-year-old Cody Haire of Rowan County, North Carolina, is an avid quail hunter. He hunts practically every weekend with his god-father, Henry T. Hall (who goes by H.T.) and H.T.'s friends. This past Christmas, Cody wrote a poem for H.T. Ironically, he thought of the poem while he sat alone in his deer stand right before the holiday. Cody typed the poem, framed it and gave it to H.T. as a Christmas gift.

Hunting Day

By Cody Haire

Pointers and Setters trot through the field
Followed closely by blaze orange, an age old sign of yield.
The Setter moves along searching the many scents
For that one golden smell of where the quail have lit.
My godfather and I trudge behind him, as cautious as can be
You never know if the birds are nesting on the ground or hidden in a tree.
The hound's tail rises as he takes his command pose
Making sure that we know the bird is within inches from his nose.
Tension builds as I click the switch to fire
Then my godfather kicks it up, it flew higher and higher!
My Browning answers with a shot, then I sigh in relief
As the dog makes his way to end with the retrieve.
As I walk back to the truck I catch myself thinking
Why is there so little time to enjoy these undertakings?

If you have story ideas, dog photos, pre-1980 hunting photos and requests for future On The Wing consideration, please send correspondence to ahauck@pheasantsforever.org.

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