Bird hunting season in Georgia ends

Bird hunting in Georgia is over until next fall, as the grouse and quail seasons ended yesterday. Working with pen-raised birds on a private reserve is permitted in the upcoming months, of course, but rough hunting on public lands is ended.

Volunteer jonquils are blooming in patches along Georgia's upland country roads. The sun has gained strength and is quite warm on a clear day, but the chill returns in the evenings.

Mr. Mimms and the other bird growers will clean out their pens and make ready for a new generation of chukar, quail, and pheasant. The pen-raised game-bird shortage will get more acute, and the available birds will be of poorer quality and moulting.

We'll practice with birds when we can, and in the meantime get serious about firming up Larsen's basic obedience.

Jonquils bloom along a road near Bowman, Georgia last Sunday, an indication that the 2011 hunting season has ended.