Hunting season is here and that calls back fond … err … old memories of my youth filled days and my own infamous hunting experiences.

I often thought my life would make a great comedy like &8220;I Love Lucy,&8221; because funny things were always happening to me or around me … even in the sacrosanct world of hunting.

I recall those cold dark winter morning my buddies would come by to pick me up to go deer hunting. I had my 16-guage shotgun, my buckshot, my gloves, my coat, my hat, and my ammo and was ready to bag that magnificent buck with its giant record setting rack.

In my dreams the buck would walk into my sight, I would raise my shotgun and slowly squeeze the trigger.

It never happened … I never even fired a shot at deer. But I did get to sit in the woods and meditate all day until my buddies came back to pick me up. That was deer hunting Fred&8217;s way.

On one other occasion, two buddies of mine and I went to hunt in our favorite spot along the banks of the Cahaba River. I remember it was a while before the sun came up when we got to the place. So, we all decided we would just sit down for a few minutes before moving to our spots. The next thing I knew, the sun was well up in the sky, and my two buddies were still sound asleep.

To this day, I wonder how many deer or turkeys or squirrels passed by the three strange creatures asleep in the forest on the banks of that river.

I had more success in dove hunting. I actually shot a dove once and it fell in a field not too far from me. The only problem was that every time I got close, it would hop and fly away. Apparently my shot had broken its wing. I chased that dove around and around and could not get close. So I borrowed my friends .410 shotgun.

I figured the shell was small and it wouldn&8217;t do too much damage. The result was like something out of a &8220;Bugs Bunny&8221; cartoon.

I fired. There was a cloud of feathers. And when the dust cleared, all that was left of my dove was two little feet.

Hunting is a good way to bond with friends and to help control the deer population in Alabama. And, if done right, it is a way to have a very good time. Happy hunting everyone