[dramatic music]
[bird calling]
[dramatic music]
[bird calling]
- We're at the Roger R. Fawcett Wildlife Management Area.
We're about 65 miles west
of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
It's in the Southern part of the cross timbers
where we've got a lot of unique habitats here.
We've got open grassland prairie habitat,
bisected with post oak, blackjack oak woodlands.
We've got a lot of water on the area,
provides good habitat for waterfowl.
And here on the south end of the area,
we've got some dove fields.
We've been planting native sunflowers here for doves,
provide good feeding area.
Also provides good public hunting opportunity.
The Fawcett Wildlife Management Area
is just one of many public hunting lands
that are open for public access in Texas.
We now have just over a million acres of land
that's accessible with the annual public hunting permit
or the limited public use permit.
This time of year we offer walk-in dove hunting
with the use of the annual public hunting permit.
You self-register,
and you just go find a good a spot to hunt.
[wind blowing]
[dramatic music]
- EVAN: Oh, I like this spot a lot.
Where do you think they'll come in from?
- I think they're gonna be coming from the creek behind us,
and coming into the sunflower fields,
and kind of landing.
I think we're in a perfect spot.
You know, to wake him up to go to school,
I have to tell him a couple times.
Now, to go hunting,
wake up at 4:30, 5 o'clock in the morning,
I just barely have to tap him and he's out of the bed.
[Evan laughs]
He beats me out the door, you know, so,
and that's, it's our time to get away
and spend some quality time together as father and son.
And I wouldn't trade it for the world.
- The birds ain't coming.
It's a real nice breeze.
- It's perfect.
- I love when we go hunting,
because it's always a good time,
and if we don't get something, we're at least
happy to go or get out of the house.
It's like real good weather for dove, I think.
And I hope they like it,
because if they like it, then I'm liking it.
[shooting]
- He was at a pretty good distance.
Wasn't he?
- EVAN: Yeah.
- He was farther than usual.
- That one got away.
That's, that's the fun part about dove hunting, you know.
It's just, all of a sudden,
you're just blasting away
and just trying to get one.
So, it's fun.
To have access to public land like this,
I mean, it's a dream.
It's perfect right now,
because we're the only ones out here.
So it's ideal.
And the scenery behind it, with all these hills?
I mean, it's, it's just beautiful.
You couldn't ask for a better place right now.
[shooting]
- EVAN: Did you get one?
- I did, you, you bumped him up for me.
- Ha! Where'd he come from?
- He come from right, right beside you,
he flew behind you.
- Oh!
I didn't even see it!
[laughing]
- Oh yeah.
It's a good one.
Actually, he helped me out.
He kind, he kind of scared it out, you know?
It come in behind him and I,
I took him down, one shot.
- EVAN: Well, when the birds are active,
it keeps you active,
and it's just a fun time, really.
- JEREMY: It's perfect.
It's memories that we will both remember forever.
[dramatic music]