Dove Season Is Here, Texas.

The shotguns are ready, coolers are packed and another Texas dove season is officially underway.

For plenty of Benbrook and North Texas hunters, opening day is about more than what flies overhead. It’s an annual tradition built around early mornings, time with family and friends, and passing a love of the outdoors to the next generation.

The Texas Trophy Hunters Association offered a lighthearted pre-season checklist: buy the hunting license, clean the shotgun, stock up on ammo and, perhaps most important, remember to call in sick to work.

The group also encourages hunters to share opening-day photos, while the Texas Dove Hunters Association continues providing information for dove hunters across the state.

However opening day is spent, the best traditions are the ones everyone gets home safely to tell stories about.