We are about to enter what my Mom always called the “ Dog Days of Summer”. About the only thing that I remember for certain about this period was her telling me that if I cut myself during this period, that the sore would not heal until September. Actually, I believe that it has something to do with the location of the Dog Star in the sky at this time of year.

Before we discuss the Dog Days, I need to refer to the Monsoon Season of July. As Noah would have said, “It come up a cloud” during July. Normally in July, we are praying for a thunderstorm or for a weak tropical system to move over us in order for our food plots to have enough moisture to make a seed head. Well, this year we are having to go back over our patches with ammonium nitrate to re-fertilize them since so much of our original fertilizer has leached out due to the rains. On the bright side, we will have plenty of cover, and the old Flint River is staying in its banks since most of the rain has been on top of us rather than above us.

The damp weather has allowed us to have extra time working our dogs before it gets too hot. Andy Hay informed me that we have a very promising string of English Cockers ready for their rookie season along with our seasoned veterans. Andy Moss is confident that his big dogs will be ready to find the coveys for the little dogs.

Speaking of quail, I am seeing more hatches of young native quail here than I have in many years. Normally a wet weather period will produce less quail since so many females nest in low spots which get drowned out. Based on the size of the young birds that I am seeing, I believe that we must have had a very big early hatch before the rains of July set in.

Please allow me to shift gears for a moment, and address this Delta strain of the Covid virus. They say that figures don’t lie, but liars figure. I have read statistics on this virus until I am blue in the face. I have concluded that is primarily a disease of the unvaccinated, and that a vaccinated person has a better chance of getting struck by lightning out of a clear sky than he does of becoming sick from the Delta strain of Covid. If he can remember saying it, president Biden says that there is no chance of another lock down. Praise God for that !

We have a good reservation calendar for the 2021-2022 season, and it is getting stronger each day. If you have not already called for a hunting date, I would encourage you to do so soon.

In closing, let me share a few funny sayings that my old friend, Earl, sent me:

This first one really tickled me as a widower because it could have been me.1) I recently bought a toilet brush. Long story short, I am going back to toilet paper. 2) You’re not fat, you’re just easier to see. 3)I always wondered what a job application form at Hooters is like. Do they just give you a bra and say, Here, fill this out ?”.4) and as Mark Twain once said, “ Diapers and politicians should me changed often, and for the same reason !”

I believe that laughter is good for the soul, and hope you enjoyed the above. We hope that you are having a pleasant summer, and look forward to seeing you this fall and winter ! May God bless you and your families.