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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Poet pens ode to hunting season’s Opening Day

HUNTING -- On the even of hunting seasons opening for species such as black bear, archery deer, doves and forest grouse, a hunter cooled his jets by writing a poem. He just sent it to me, so here it is to help the rest of you pass the time until shooting hours arrive tomorrow morning.

Read on:

The heat is impossible

Cooling bills are high

Fires are raging.

It is darkest before the dawn,

It sure is Dark.

The page will turn,

It always does,

Just on this day.

This day?  It is the day before Opening day.

It is the worst day of the year-why?

Because it is not tomorrow-Opening Day.

The dove are around

The cars will be packed,

The shells have been bought,

The guns have been cleaned

Ray’s, Cabela’s and the rest are tired,

Must be the time.

Opening day is the New Beginning.

The worst is over-the best starts at sunrise.

Football whistles are blowing

And tailgating is coming.

The Darkness is over

The sunrise is hear

Must be a shot I heard.

                        -Bob Howard, Dallas, Texas             Aug 31, 2011



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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