Kitty Fork Outdoors Annual Dove Hunt took place Saturday to honor veterans and their families and kick off the first day of dove season. Around 15 volunteers helped out with the event, which hosted 26 veterans, 16 families, and 45 kids.
Jeff Jones and his wife, Dana, open their property twice a year — for the dove hunt on the first day of dove hunting season in September and then a rabbit hunt in February for the first day of rabbit season.
“It’s geared for the veterans,” explained Tom Stafford, who volunteered for the dove hunt Saturday and helps Jeff and Dana throughout the year.
Stafford told how the hunts are nonprofit events with none of the proceeds going to the Joneses.
“I’ve been involved in this for about seven years,” he recalled. “It has grown tremendously. The love that we all have — but especially Jeff and Dana — for the military, for the veterans, wounded veterans…they spill their heart out for them and it’s wonderful to see the joy that they give veterans and their families.”
“We do this in honor of my dad,” Dana Jones said. “This is his land, so we try to give back.”
A photo to honor her late father, Ronnie Jordan, was on display at the dove hunt, along with photographs of Jones’ stepdad, Haywood Bass, and Melvin Melton, who both passed away this year.
Clinton resident Roger Wells attended the duck hunt on Saturday in honor of his friend who passed away this year: the late James Haywood Bass. Wells served almost seven years during the Vietnam War alongside Bass.
“I lost a good a friend of mine,” Wells expressed, recalling that he came to the duck hunt last year for the first time with Bass. This past Saturday, Wells recited This Old Hat in honor of Bass.
“When we came home from Vietnam, we weren’t welcomed very much,” Wells recalled. “Bad stuff was tossed at us when we got off the plane. That was something I didn’t believe would ever happen, but it did.”
Wells described the dove hunt for veterans as “a welcoming home that we never got.” He said when people tell him now, “‘Thank you for your service,’ that it means a lot.”
During the event, Dana’s daughter, Jayna Jones, created custom branded leather key chains for the veterans and families. Jayna provided the branding equipment from her business, East Coast Branding Co., and performed the work inside a grain silo renovated by her mother.
Philip Bell brought his grandson and cousin’s son to the hunt on Saturday. Bell also cooked the sausage for breakfast that morning.
“This the third or fourth year I’ve cooked the sausage,” Bell recalled.
Bell said both his dad and brother were veterans.
“The Vietnam War was ending when I came of age, and I think the draft was over. I didn’t have to go, so I didn’t, but anything like this, I try to support it,” Bell stated. He’s been volunteering with the Kitty Fork hunts since they first began.
“This thing has really taken off…it’s a good thing…the veterans, I like to see them go out and have a good time, but when you watch these kids, it makes it all worth it,” Bell emphasized.
Amanda and Sam Underwood, the winners of Kitty Fork Outdoor’s 2026 tobacco growing competition, were also in attendance Saturday. Amanda chose to grow a tobacco plant in honor of her late father, Charles Smith, who, she said, used to grow plan for the competition. She won the competition with the longest tobacco leaf , measuring 29 inches; her father’s record was 32 inches.
U.S. Navy Capt. Dr. Sean P. Barbabella travelled from Washington D.C. to attend the hunt.
“My friend, Eric, has been coming for years with his sons,” Barbabella explained. “Coming to these events, it’s with other fellow servicemen that…want to raise their kids the right way and they respect nature, but more importantly, how many people do you have here taking care of a group of people?”
Barbabella noted that he had talked to very few volunteers that day who were military.
“They’re just quality people who want to help and give back; I think it’s great,” Barbabella reflected.
Jeff Jones attested that the dove hunt was “probably one of the best ones — other than the harvesting of the birds — that we’ve ever had … The turnout was amazing. It just gets better and better every year … It was hot, and the birds didn’t fly like we thought they would, but I think that was just a bonus…today was about the families, the camaraderie of the veterans, and sharing an experience with their families that their kids can pass on.”
One family came from Maryland, he said.
“They said they left at 12:45 this morning to get here. It just shows these people will go to every length to come to a great event. If we can honor them with their sacrifice for their families, it just warms our heart to see these kids out here having a good time and enjoying it with their family,” Jones said.
Jones’ grandfather was a World War II veteran.
“That’s what it’s all about for us, is that family atmosphere,” Jones attested. “That’s what I remember growing up with my grandfather and my father, so just to see that passed along…is a blessing.”
Jones emphasized that it’s a blessing for his family to share their love of hunting with the veteran community.
“It’s hot and it’s sweaty, but you see smiles. I think it brings the veteran community together – our community in general – and we love it. I just want to make it bigger and better every year.”