A new year is upon us, and that means a new hunting season will be here before you know it. 2018 was a good season, and hopefully 2019 will be even better. While the new year may only be one day old, it is off to a good start.
A few years ago I adopted a new tradition, borrowed and adapted from a Japanese New Year tradition. In Japan it is tradition to wake early on New Years morning and watch the first sunrise of the new year. Something which seems to me a good way to greet the new year, and get it started. From this tradition I decided some years ago that I would wear a tie when shooting clays on New Years day (or the first shooting day of the year). I see it as a small gesture to get the new year started on a positive note. Today I took it up a notch. I shoot clays regularly at the Massapoag Sportsmens club. Like most clubs we operate on a volunteer basis. Today I volunteered to open skeet and trap, but in keeping with my tradition of getting the year started off right, I decided to make it a game tasting event as well a shooting. A few evenings of preparations, and an early arrival at the club to do some baking was all that was needed to kick off the 2019 clay shooting season with a bang.
The menu was a collection of various game; wild boar chili, rabbit and pheasant game pie, pheasant tarragon sausage rolls, and woodcock pate, plus some mulled cider were my offerings. Others arrived with goods, and soon the table was overflowing with bacon wrapped scallops, elk burger stuffed mushrooms, finger sandwiches, and cornbread. By the time we close the ranges, there was very little leftovers to be dealt with. Everyone had a good feed, broke some clays, and started 2019 off in a very enjoyable way. And thus, (hopefully) a new tradition is created.
So,....Happy New Year.
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