Sep 25, 2017 - Not all hunters are farmers, but many farmers are hunters.

As dove season opened across the country this month, farmers preparing for harvest got to take a break and hit the dove fields, probably without even leaving the farm.

America Hunt has a feature on Arkansas farmer-hunter Laudies Brantley and how his family’s farming operation hosts an annual dove hunt the first weekend of September. The Brantley farm entails about 10,000 acres, and the Brantleys lease out about 1,000 acres for dove, deer and duck hunts.

Brantley told America Hunt that his family has always hunted, and always starts off with doves to open the season.

"My dad hunted -- he was a quail hunter. We always hunted," he said. "When one of your fields is working, you can really get a number of birds. It's a lot of fun, a great sport. I have great memories of those hunts."

Brantley said the farm is host to more deer hunting these days, but dove season always takes him back to a favorite memory with his youngest son:

His youngest son Russell may have been hooked one late summer morning when he was 12. Dove hunting on the farm, chomping-at-the-bit Russell ran out of ammo on a good day when birds were plentiful and falling. None, however, because of Russell.

Brantley gave him his 16-gauge and three boxes of shells to close out the hunt, and left him to his mission. Returning to his son not long after, Brantley found a grinning Russell offering up three shells and proudly proclaiming that he'd shot 72 times. He'd hit just two doves, but still, he'd filled the sky with lead.

Good stuff. Check out the full story here. And now that hunting season is upon us, enjoy.