By: Lauren Crosby | Article Photos: Jonathan Vail

We turn off Texas State Highway 87 onto a long, narrow caliche road. As we drive further, the dirt surrounds the truck as if entering a haboob in West Texas. We pass numerous mesquite trees, prickly pear and even catch a glimpse of a roadrunner scurrying by. I start to hear hounds barking loudly, which means we’ve arrived at the ranch. We pull up to the homestead and park next in line after the tenth or eleventh vehicle. I make sure to grab the case of beer from the truck bed as we all jump out of the truck because we know you don’t show up empty handed. I immediately smell the assortment of smoking meats wafting from the pit, accompanied by large smiles and hugs coming to greet us. At that moment, I know it’s officially dove season.

The Sammons family has owned and managed Texas land since the early 1900’s. Tom and Mary Lee Sammons, fondly known as Papa Tom and Mama Tom, purchased this special property west of Brady in McCulloch County in 1990. Together with their children—Larry, Tom, and Bernice Lee—they raised cattle and sheep while perfecting their shooting skills.

The Sammons’ practiced shooting every spare moment of the day. Mama Tom and Papa Tom both shared a love for ranching and shooting, so they taught their kids a thing or two about both. When it came to aim, Mama Tom would consistently outshoot her boys, which is no surprise given she served on the Trinity University shooting team.

The family has always been avid hunters. In Central Texas, there is an abundance of White-tailed deer, turkeys, and coyotes, but there was always something particularly special about the White-winged dove. Hunting dove became more of a social sport, and that’s just how the Sammons liked it. Unlike deer hunting where you wake up before dawn and stay extremely quiet in a blind, dove hunting can start late afternoon and the word “bird” can be heard from a pasture away.

For decades, the Sammons have made it a time-honored tradition to get together opening weekend of dove season. Whether you’re immediate family, a neighboring landowner or a close friend, all were welcome to this annual event. Because that’s who the Sammons are. A family full of hospitality, sharing their knowledge and passion for the ranch and the outdoors.

At an early age, my family and I were welcomed to the ranch for the dove season festivities. I started out as a glorified bird dog because I was not yet ready to “hold my own” with a shotgun. They would shoot, and I would retrieve, along with the basset hounds and German short-haired pointers. Now as an adult, I finally felt ready to be a part of the action. Mama Tom and Papa Tom’s youngest son, Tom Sammons, took the liberty of coaching me through my first hunt. As a father to competitive shooters, he knew just what to say to ease my nerves. “Get ahead of the bird and keep your gun moving,” Tom tells me as the dove begin to fly over me. Once I started relaxing and having fun, birds fell from the sky.

Though Mama Tom and Papa Tom have passed, their children carry the tradition forward—Larry on the grill, Tom leading the safety briefing, and Bernice Lee preserving family memories through scrapbooking. Each child bestowing their unique wisdom to the next generation.

Larry Sammons, the eldest son, is the man behind the meat. Whether it swims, runs, or flies, any food prepared can be mistaken for five-star cuisine. Tom can be referred to as the “savior of safety.”

He rallies the troops for a thorough safety briefing (and a damn-good prayer) before everyone disperses across the ranch to their posts. And Bernice Lee has been the accredited historian from day one. Her passion for scrapbooking has transformed the family’s memories into cherished works of art.

Both boys, who currently live on the property with their wives, now have the pleasure of teaching their grandchildren hunting and ranching as their parents did decades ago. “The ranch is such a special place because of all the memories linked to it – not only fun memories of family and friends, but also memories of hard work and sacrifice,” Larry said. “It’s like the ranch is one of the core building blocks of the person we became. It nurtured our values, beliefs and the family we created.”

Family members have moved to all edges of the country (Montana, California and Wisconsin to name a few), but that doesn’t stop them from coming back to Texas for the family gathering. Children may miss a holiday or two, but they never miss opening day at the Sammons ranch.

“We’re not worried about Christmas parties, or which in-law has Thanksgiving.” Bernice Lee explains. “We come together for Labor Day to enjoy each other and to catch up on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Steeped in tradition, the heritage, stories, and ambiance give the understanding that through time, we all remain together as a family.” You know the next generation is enthusiastic to continue the family tradition when the grandkids are the first to volunteer to clean the birds from Mom and Dad’s hunt.

Opening weekend comes to a close as the hunters load their empty drink coolers full of birds and take apart their shot shotguns for a thorough cleaning. As I watch the hot September sun set across the pasture, I reflect on the memories we’ve made over the years and how lucky I am to be a part of this legacy. The Sammons family built my appreciation for what it means to be a Texan, but it wasn’t until growing up that I realized those values – family, hard work, the unobstructed open space of our state, and opening weekend of dove season – come from this special place and this special family. The ranch has provided another magical backdrop for fellowship with family and friends. I cannot wait to get home to taste the pride of sinking my teeth into one of my dove breasts, fried just like Mama Tom used to.  This is what it feels like to be a true Texan.

SAMMONS HUNTING TIPS

• Don’t get too fancy with your attire – the birds don’t care what you wear!
• Take a dominant eye test
• Aim and shoot for only one bird (AND go get it)
• Be aware of all hunter’s locations and watch your shot
• Stay hydrated – there’s plenty of time to “have fun” after the hunt