Jim Allen, AMM, Mississippi Power, sets the scene…Something happened the other day while I thought I was on vacation. My business phone rang; it was the CEO. My favorite pastime is quail hunting and my favorite quail hunting ground is a small patch of open field in the little community called Jayess, Mississippi. I’ve gone quail hunting since 2002 and for most of that time my hunts have been quite peaceful, due to inadequate cell phone coverage. It has only been since 2010 has a trickle of cell service invaded the privacy in my honey-hole.

Quail hunting is unlike most any other hunting sport. Yes, there is a bit of excitement when you make the impossible shot or bag 10 birds with 10 shots, but the greatest enjoyment comes from watching the dogs point. The guide I hunt with has a half-dozen bird dogs, all of different pedigree. On this particular occasion, Jaycee, Wayne’s English Pointer, was frozen stiff in mid-stride pointing a covey and Foxy, Wayne’s Brittnay, was a couple feet away with her nose stuck in a small clump of grass. Their point was an artist’s dream. Wayne held the hunters back a few seconds to allow all of us to marvel at what seemed like a Dutch Master’s painting. Everything was motionless, and we were all lost in the moment.

Then the iPhone rang…From that moment on, quail hunting hasn’t been quite the same.