Back in the day when I was a college boy at good old Slippery Rock State (now Slippery Rock University), Labor Day meant that the fall semester classes were starting.

But to an outdoor hunting enthusiast, it also was the start of dove season. In those days, there was a lot of mining and farming going on in the county and as crops were harvested and strip mine fields were reseeded, they brought in the doves in good numbers.

I didn't really know much about dove hunting, but you really caught on after a few outings in the fields. The experienced hunters soon educated us to the habitat and needs of the migratory doves. Grains and seeds, open field areas, grit and sand and a freshwater source.

Doves really like to hang out in tree snags and conifer rows as they check out the surrounding fields before flying in to feed.

Hunting doves was really a specialty hunt — you were required to not only have a PA license, but a Federal Duck Stamp and then later on came the PA Migratory Game Bird license.

Doves have great vision and the wearing of camo clothing, face netting and cover was absolutely needed. It can be pretty hot around the first of September, so it was really important to carry water and ice along with you.

The shotgun of choice could be about any, but the ammo needed has to be a dove load of 7-8's as it doesn't take much to miss a dove.

Did I remind you that a dove can really zip through the air and make a hunter look pretty silly as they poured through the low-brass ammo?

This was also the time many waterfowl hunters got their retrievers tuned up for hunting season.

I witnessed many a sharp-nosed dog getting their retrieving skills sharpened by picking up downed birds. Taking water for your dog was good to keep them hydrated, but also to help them with feathers in their mouths. The dogs would be coughing and snorting from dusty pickups.

The limit for a dove hunter back in those days was 12 birds a day and it took about that many to have a dove breast meal for 2 or 3 people.

Times are changed and the flocks of migratory doves are now replaced by the Resident PA Canada Goose population.The early goose season also starts on Sept. 1 and the daily limit is eight geese.The resident geese are found everywhere in the county and all you need is a safe place and permission to hunt. I recall sending an application for a goose blind at Pymatuning and thinking that you hit the lottery if your name was drawn.That's when you really knew who your buddies were as you could invite a few to hunt with you. You had a one-goose limit and I remember my brother-in-law skipping the opening day of deer to go there for a blind hunt. He harvested a goose and we have a picture of him holding it up with a couple of us showing off our bucks on the first day.No, I wouldn't pass up the opening day of Buck Season to hunt a goose, but dedicated diehard waterfowlers certainly would! I guess that's good for all hunters to be diversified with their interests and that makes for plenty of hunting space for everyone.

Our annual Labor Day-week fishing trip got blown off Lake Erie due to Hurricane Ida hitting the U.S. coastlines in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. The flooding, storm surge, high winds and the aftermath of it all is devastating.I guess a postponed fishing trip is just peanuts … pray for all the people who are in harm's way. Western Pennsylvania is generally pretty lucky when it comes to weather disasters. We don't generally get the major disaster episodes that wipe out whole regions and that is why I like living in the Keystone State!

In one month, I will be packing up for my Colorado elk hunt. I am trying to figure out my best rifle and scope combo for the trip. I have taken elk with a 30-06 and a .270, but will likely opt out for a little bit more firepower on this hunt.Either a .300 WSM or a 7MM will be going along for the journey. I was in sticker shock at the price of hunting ammo at $50-plus a box. Fortunately for me, we do reload our spent cartridges, but finding the right components isn't easy, either.It will take us three days to drive out to our hunting unit #70. We will hunt five days and then have a return trip of 1,700 miles.More days on the road than in the mountains.Hopefully, we will get some opportunities and the skill sets don't let us down as we get that chance. I will hope for the best, but know that when afield anything can happen and usually does.Be safe out there and enjoy your Labor Day weekend.Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.