Bird bush bash
Published:Sunday | August 28, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Appointed chef, Ramon Vernon was probably the most sought-after man at bird bush last Sunday while he roasted baldpates and white wings for those who waited anxiously to taste the first flock of the bird-shooting season.
Hosted by prominent Montego Bay attorney Maxim Clark, the bushes of Irwin, St James, came alive as the lovers of bird meat, mannish water and curried goat partook of what has become a tradition among hunters islandwide.
From as early as 5 a.m., Robert Russell, 13-year-old Joshua Clark, who now has his permit, his mother, Joy Clark (the lucky gem for the hunters), Johnny Gourzong, John Lee, Dr Michael Banbury, Ruddy Gracey, Franklyn and Alex Bullock and Michael Baugh donned their camouflage gear and hunted the migratory birds that have come from as far as Belize.
Each shooter is allowed 15 baldpates and they can add five white wings making it a total of 20, said Robert Russell, who has been hunting birds since age 10.
Thousands of young men are even a few girls have now joined the game of retrieving the birds for the hunters, taking home thousands of dollars combined.
"It's very economical, each hunter has two or three bird boys with him, paid up to $1,000 each; they go out twice on Saturdays and once on Sundays," said Russell, resident chef.
The bird season lasts six weeks and ends with another feast at the end of September.