Hunkered down in the high grass surrounding a recently harvested wheat field, a couple of dozen hunters were ready to open the Ohio hunting seasons this week by taking aim at the state's most plentiful game bird.
Brad and Ann Dysinger of Thorn Bottom Hunting, and their young Brittany spaniel, Pappy, watch flocks of slate grey doves fly over their fields on opening day. GROVER HILL, OHIO
Hunkered down in the high grass surrounding a recently harvested wheat field, a couple of dozen hunters were ready to open the Ohio hunting seasons this week by taking aim at the state's most plentiful game bird.
Small groups of doves were winging their way Wednesday afternoon to popular feeding areas here managed by Brad and Ann Dysinger at Thorn Bottom Hunting. The couple offers wild pheasant hunting to sportsmen from October through March, beginning their season with outstanding September dove hunting.
Dysinger grew up in the rural neighborhood, a young hunter who went on to become world class trapshooter. His wife, Ann, is a noted wildlife artist who keeps the hunting preserve running smoothly.
It was obvious many of the hunters in the fields sorely needed tips on wingshooting from Dysinger. We were lucky to have his undivided attention early in the afternoon shoot. A hunting partner who is a fledgling wingshooter struggled to find success, and Dysinger soon had her doing more than frightening the flocks of birds.
The incoming president of the Ohio State Trapshooting Association, Dysinger is adept at putting a shooter on the right track.
"I like coaching, but I've never wanted to be just a teacher," said Dysinger, "I enjoy hunting and shooting clay targets way too much.
"When I was growing up, Paulding County was the No. 1 pheasant hunting location in the Midwest. My dad was a hunter, and always did a little trapshooting. My hunting buddy back then was Dana Bair, the brother of major league baseball player Doug Bair. Dana and I were pathetic shots, and we wanted to get better at hunting pheasants, ducks and geese.
"We decided trapshooting would help us. It turned out to be lots of fun and we found we could win some money at the little shoots around here."
Dysinger's knack for blasting clay targets prompted a career choice. The day after his 21st birthday he won the Ohio State Handicap against more than 1,600 shooters. Dysinger went on to consistently excel at the clay target sport and work for premier gun maker Beretta for 23 years. He was named to the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Hall of Fame in 2000.
Since 1996, Dysinger and his wife, Ann, have focused on their hunting preserve, Thorn Bottom Hunting, and Black Swamp Guns and Supplies. They have kennels full of bird dogs, and fields bristling with bird hunters from around the region.
"Because of the bad winters in the late 1970s, we don't have wild pheasants and quail around here like we did when I was a kid, but Ohio is even richer when it comes to hunting opportunities," said Dysinger. "Deer are almost a nuisance, turkeys are nesting all over the county and our little wetlands attracts a half-dozen different species of ducks.
"Back in the old days, just seeing a deer or wild turkey was a big deal. Ann and I now have little trouble taking a turkey each spring. I check out five to 10 deer from my stand in the fall to decide which one want I want to take."
Dysinger sees plentiful wild game, but a shrinking supply of hunters.
"The shooting sports - trap, skeet and sporting clays - are still popular," he said. "There are about 15 trap clubs within about a half-hour of my place, and shoots about every Sunday."
But society is changing, said Dysinger.
"Kids are playing video games now, not shooting or even playing baseball," he lamented. "Some day those of us who are shooters and hunters will be memories, just like Buffalo Bill."
Five Dysinger tips for straight shooting
Brad Dysinger shot more than 200,000 registered clay targets and won 60 trophies at the prestigious Grand American World Trap Shooting Championships. He can tell you where your load of shot went astray, and why, and how to improve your shotgun skills.
Here are five Dysinger tips to make you a better wingshooter:
- Practice, practice and practice some more. The more you shoot, the more successful you'll become.
- Consistently mounting a shotgun is crucial. Practice mounting and dry firing your shotgun three or four times a week, and at least 25 times each practice session.
- Never try to focus on the end of a shotgun barrel that's 30 inches away, then switch to a flying game bird 30 yards away. You will almost always miss.
- Have experts make sure your shotgun fits properly. For a quick check, close your eyes and mount the shotgun. If your dominant eye is not lined up with the barrel, the stock doesn't fit.
- Control your shotgun by holding it firmly with your left hand, if you're a right-handed shooter. A loose grip allows the muzzle to jump, forcing you to re-acquire your aim for a second shot. The odds are good you'll shoot behind the target.