Let me begin by saying, I understand that everyone is different, we all have different interests, some cultivated by the atmosphere in which we grew up.

I get that.

One of the little joys I get as we travel from town to town delivering black gold to various towns in Texas and Louisiana, is the fact that I get to read the newspapers of the local area. There is always something that jumps out at me, making me realize how different some papers are from the ones I am accustomed to back home in the Philly area. 

Today was no different. As I was reading the Houston Chronicle I noticed the front page of the sports section had a big photo of a large wet marsh, complete with 3 camo covered people sitting on make shift chairs with water up to their shins, aiming rifles of some kind at a flock of birds that were cruising by.

This, my friends, is not a picture you will find in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The article states that these birds are the much sought after blue winged teal. I had to take their word for it, because I wouldn't know a blue winged teal from any other kind of teal, but looking at this photo I would have to say the blue winged teal are at a distinct disadvantage.

It turns out, teal is a season. Not like spring and summer, but like rabbit and deer, and according to the article the people down here in Texas are pumped because the number of teal headed this way to get their brains blown out is expected to be more than recent years.

The article goes on to describe in detail, how the 3 hunters pictured in the paper, set up their stands, settled in and waited. Finally, the sky filled with these cute little ducks but they didn't open fire. On no. They watched, enjoying the sight of the little teal diving into the water to guzzle fresh water before taking flight again.

They watched and enjoyed the spectacle of these little ducky's in their natural habitat. I can imagine the hunters smiling and saying things like, "look, they're so cute."

When the hunters were full of joy from watching this scene unfolding in front of them, they took turns taking aim and blowing the little buggers out of the sky.

Nope, ya won't see that reported in my hometown paper.

The head of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was quoted, "Compared to last year, things are, overall a lot better for the birds and the hunters."

No birds were available to comment.

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We passed this today as we traveled up the river.