1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: my stories and the country skills that will help you 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: beat the system. This Country Life is proudly presented as 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: part of Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: outdoor podcast the airways have to offer. All right, friends, 8 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: pull you up a chair or drop that tailgate. I 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: think I got a thing or two to teach you 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: when it all falls apart. John Prine released a song 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: in May of nineteen seventy eight titled That's the Way 12 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: that the World goes Round. Here's the chorus. That's the 13 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: way that the world goes round. You're up one day, 14 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: the next you're down. It's a half a inch of 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: water and you think you're going to drown. That's the 16 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: way that the world goes around. Now, if you can 17 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: find a better analogy for my turkey season, I want 18 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: to hear it. You'll find out why in a minute. 19 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: But first I'm going to tell you a story. Two 20 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: days before my birthday in twenty twenty, I brought home 21 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: a coon. Now that's a whole story in itself, but 22 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: all the context you need for this one is a 23 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: new dog and taking up residents with us just a 24 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: few days prior to the world coming unraveled. It was 25 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: a very opportune time for my family to have something 26 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: good to focus on while we navigated through the new place. 27 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: We all felt lost in not knowing what we were 28 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: supposed to do about all the changes and restrictions we 29 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: faced in our jobs and daily routines. We focused our 30 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: energies on our faith, each other, and a clumsy, four 31 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: legged tree and walker pup named Whalen. It was love 32 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: at first sight from my youngest daughter Bailey and my 33 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: wife Alexis as they each introduced themselves to that big 34 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: ear joker, who instantly returned the affection. Unlike any other 35 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: hound I'd ever owned, he had a lot to learn 36 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: if he was going to be a coon dog. I 37 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 1: had a lot to learn if I was going to 38 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: help train him, and the thought of him not making 39 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: it really never cross my mind. I already knew he 40 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't be leaving because of how the girls felt about him. 41 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: Hound hunters, my dad being a prime example, can go 42 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 1: through dogs like grass goes through a goose. Get one 43 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: keep him awhile find the fault or mannerism you don't like, 44 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: and send him on down the road to the next guy. 45 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: Then he'd get another one and start the whole process 46 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: over again. I remember many times when Dad and I'd 47 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 1: be out at the dog pen. I'd ask, where's old 48 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: so and so. He'd say, Oh, I sold him or 49 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: I traded him for this one. Hounds came and went. 50 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: It was the nature of the community and the process 51 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: and developing a pack of running dogs that worked well together. Hounds. 52 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: Many women have preferred styles of how dogs hunt, how 53 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: they sound, how they look, how they act. When you're 54 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: feeding multiple dogs, like my dad did, you're always looking 55 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: for the next one that'll give you the advantage in 56 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,079 Speaker 1: helping your pack outrun everyone else's. Now. I say all 57 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: that to say this, When you have two other people 58 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,239 Speaker 1: in the house and they love dogs more than anything, 59 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: and not this type of dog or that type of dog, 60 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: but dogs period. Getting rid of one that doesn't suit 61 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: your fancy can be harder than it should be, as 62 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: long as it is in biting the neighbors, chewing up 63 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: the burkingstocks or the Lululemon. That Rascal will have two 64 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: strong advocates in his corner when the conversation comes up 65 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: that maybe he just didn't work it out hunting the 66 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: way I want him to. I tried it out a 67 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: month after we got him, and don't get me wrong, 68 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: I had no intention whatsoever getting rid of my new 69 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: coon awn. When I said I don't think this dog 70 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: is working out, Alexis and Bailey both looked at me 71 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: and and I'm paraphrasing here, but the gist of their 72 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: responses were so what he ain't leaving a month into it, 73 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: and I knew this dog better work because it appeared 74 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: that they would sanction my dismissal before they would His 75 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,239 Speaker 1: coon Dog School was in session five six and seven 76 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: nights a week. I'd be in the woods with Whaling 77 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: after the girls had gone to bed. Sometimes Bailey would 78 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: go with me, and that was back before getting muddy 79 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: was a bad thing. She hunted a lot with me 80 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 1: and was there from beginning in Whaling's progression from just 81 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: a dog wandering around in the woods to hunting with 82 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: a purpose. Now, whether Bailey win or not, Whaling than 83 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: I were through the hot summer we win. I'm blessed 84 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: to have friends who have land near where I live in. 85 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: The abundance of public landing available in Arkansas is huge, 86 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: So for the first year I hunted like a man possessed. 87 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: It was a routine. I worked during the day, came home, 88 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: spent time with the family until the girls went to bed, 89 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: and then me and Whalen went to work every night 90 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 1: with few exceptions. It's the best way to do that. 91 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: I found. By exposing your dog to places where coons frequent, 92 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: you're gonna find out pretty quick what you're dealing with 93 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: and the natural ability of the hound, and what you'll 94 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: have to work on to get him focused on how 95 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: you want him to hunt. It's a process, and the 96 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: best process is repetition. Doing everything the same over and 97 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: over again. The way you load him up at the 98 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: house in your truck, the way you put his collar 99 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: on him and unload him when you get there, the 100 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: way you unsnap him off the lead, how you talk 101 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: to him before you turn him blues and what you 102 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: say is all important. If you do everything the same 103 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,119 Speaker 1: every time, you'll notice anything he does different, and that's 104 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: how you see his tendencies. That's how you gather the 105 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: data for how good or badd he's doing. When everything 106 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: is equal, the anomalies stand out. That's how it works. Now, 107 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: I believe it or not, that dog is watching you too. 108 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: They're creatures of habit, just like we are, and they're 109 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: training us at the same time we're training them. Consistently 110 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: doing the same thing over and over is comforting and 111 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: soon I found wailing standing at the back door looking inside. Now, 112 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: anytime around dark, if he saw me walk towards the 113 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: garage door, he'd go stand by the backyard garage entrance. 114 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: If I stepped into the backyard with his lead in 115 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: my hand, he'd stand motionless for me to snap it 116 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: on him, and then he would pull me to the 117 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: truck to load up. I let him get away with 118 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: pulling me so often that I've had to retrain him 119 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: on healing so he doesn't pull me down. Michael Roseman 120 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 1: would tell you that I have done a terrible job 121 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: be correcting that, and he'd be right. But the dog 122 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: is smart and he'll do what I tell him, so 123 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: I really don't mind it. In fact, it kind of 124 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: comes in handy Sometimes when I'm going up a creek banking, 125 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: I need a little help from my four legged friend 126 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: to get to the top. The first summer was like clockwork. 127 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: We were a well old machine of routine. Kiss the 128 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: girls goodbye, load my boots, light and vest in the truck, 129 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: Walk to the back door with my lead, Snap it 130 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: on the dog that was standing at attention. Load him 131 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: in the dog box. Drive fifteen minutes to the hunting spot, 132 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: put my lighting boots on, put his collar on him 133 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: while he stood on the tailgate. Walked to the release spot, 134 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: standing straddle of him, holding his collar. I'm patting his 135 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: ribs and releasing him while saying let's go. Every step 136 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: of that was done exactly the same way every time, 137 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: old deviation whatsoever. He started catching on pretty quickly that 138 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: dude possesses a lot of natural ability, and by repetitively 139 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: keeping him in the woods, I was taking advantage of 140 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: that and only having to correct a few minor issues 141 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: I found undesirable. With all that was going on at 142 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: the time, I'd become concerned about a jillion things that 143 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: was going on around us just in life. Alexis was 144 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: working remotely most of the time, Bailey was doing the 145 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 1: online school thing, and we were all three trying to 146 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: get used to the new abnormal being normal. The only constant. 147 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: That was constant was mining Whalen's routine through all of 148 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: that madehem. After months and months of repeating the step 149 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: by step process of leaving the house just as as 150 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: I detailed to you, and hunting the same spot over 151 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: and over, I decided to go to a new spot. Now. 152 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: This one was almost two hours away, and I decided 153 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: that we both needed a new set of woods to 154 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: look cat Whaling was treated on his own now, and 155 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: our routine had become more like a rut. Not in 156 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: a bad way, but just in the mindless autopilot of 157 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: day after day of the same thing at the same place. 158 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: I was spicing it up. Now it was going to 159 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: be good for both of us. I was going to 160 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: see how he did out of his comfort zone, and 161 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: I was looking forward to adding that day to what 162 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: he'd been doing on familiar ground. We were going to 163 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: a big expanse of public ground, and I had been 164 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: struggling over where to cut him loose. I had four 165 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: or five places in mind to cast from, and my 166 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: first choices already had someone hunting there. I'd been all 167 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: over the map of the area, picking out spots to go, 168 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: downloading the offline maps to my trackers so i'd know 169 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: where I was and where whaling was in relation to me. 170 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: I'd have to leave earlier and to get there right 171 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: at dark. There was a lot of water in that area, 172 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: so I took some dry clothes in case I got 173 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: wet from wading to him shitty tree across the slough 174 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 1: that was over my boots. I didn't want to drive 175 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:08,319 Speaker 1: home with a wet pair of breeches all the way 176 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: to the spot. For nearly two hours, I thought about 177 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: where to go first, and changed my mind several times 178 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: in a route until I got there, and then I 179 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: just went to the closest place I could find it 180 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: that wasn't even on my list. I was excited to 181 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: look at some new country. I was excited to see 182 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: what my dog would do, and a spot he had 183 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 1: never been to and how he react to the new 184 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: area was the focus of my mission. I thought about 185 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: it all day that and all the other things that 186 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: were going on at that time, and the two hour 187 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: drive seemed to take forever. Time usually passes quickly when 188 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: I'm preoccupied with something, but when the preoccupation is with 189 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: getting to the starting point, the road there seems to 190 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: go on forever, But finally I was there. I stepped 191 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: out of my truck and I put on my light, 192 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: I changed it to my boots, and I I tired 193 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: up the track and collar. All of that was the 194 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: same as always. It was my pregame routine at the 195 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 1: parking spot before getting Whaling ready to cut loose. I've 196 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: already told you that there's a routine inside this story 197 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: about routines. The only difference this time was the time 198 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: it took to travel to the new spot, and Whaling 199 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: didn't bark from the inside of the dog box when 200 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: the collar beefed after I turned it on. He always 201 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: did that every time, like it was ingrained in him. 202 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: I attributed it to his excitement for the upcoming hunt, 203 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 1: after all, every time he'd heard it beep over the 204 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: last few months. He was turned loose to chase Bandido 205 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: shortly afterwards, Except this time, now many questions were running 206 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: through my mind. Was the ride too far? Did he 207 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: get carsick and puke everywhere? Oh Lord, did I make 208 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: a mistake and take it him to a different spot 209 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: too soon? When I dropped the tailgate and looked inside 210 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: the dog box, I knew immediately what it had happened. 211 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:04,079 Speaker 1: The ride wasn't too long for him, he didn't get carsick, 212 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 1: and I hadn't made a mistake by taking him to 213 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: a new spot. I hadn't done any of that. The 214 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: mistake I made was not loading him up at the 215 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: house before I left. He was still at home. I 216 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: was coon hunting without a coon dog. And that's just 217 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: how that happened. For two episodes, I talked about how 218 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: twenty four hours in Missouri all fell into place this spring. 219 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 1: I was zigging when I should have been zigging, and 220 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: I was zagging when I should have been zagging. At 221 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: every turn, I was guessing right and making the right 222 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: moves or not moving, and it was all paying off 223 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: and flopping turkeys. But I don't want you to get 224 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: the wrong impression about my luck or how the majority 225 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: of my adventures play out. No chance, So that if 226 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: you listen to more than the last two episodes of 227 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: this show, my life is a highlight reel of calamity, 228 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: a literal step by step storyboard of lessons on things 229 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: you shouldn't do. And you folks that have been here 230 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: a while, slide over, let the newbies have a seat. 231 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: Follies to follow here's one that's so fresh that if 232 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: this door was a gallon of milk, it wouldn't have 233 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: had time to go bad. Since it happened, guess where 234 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: it occurred, Yep, Missouri. Remember the three stories I told 235 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: you about three turkeys that met their fate on the 236 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: opening week this year. Remember me beating the feathers off 237 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 1: of that dead turkey. See where I substituted a dead 238 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: horse with a dead turkey and still continue to beat 239 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: the dead horse by continuing to talk about the opening 240 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: day turkey hunt by using a different dead animal. I'm 241 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: out of control. Well, I went back to Missouri the 242 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: following Monday, a scant seven day from the zenith of 243 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: my personal best twenty four hours a turkey smashing. I 244 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: owned the Missouri turkeys. I was in the zone. I 245 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: had something to prove. I'd recently placed third in the 246 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: Meat Eater online turkey calling contest behind the show Nuff 247 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: Deer Killer, Mark Kenyon of our very own Wired to 248 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: Hunt podcast, and some other bozo named clud Clay Mud 249 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: or some other soap opera name that I can't think 250 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 1: of right now that has a podcast on this very feed. 251 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: If I ever get bored enough I was listening to 252 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: it doubtful. But anyway, after that rig contest, I had 253 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: some bonds to pick with goblin turkeys. Those are the 254 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: votes that really count, and I count those one beard 255 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: at a time, not like Clud does with a sweatshop 256 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: full of mule skinners, rubbing blisters on the thumbs, voting 257 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: online like the room and board depended on it, which 258 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: I'm sure it did. Who cares. I'm a turkey killer, 259 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: and I had two days to run back up there 260 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: and show Clud and Mark the deer Guy and everyone 261 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: else that in the Turkey woods, I'm as dangerous as 262 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: a drunk monkey with a box cutter. I couldn't wait 263 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: to get there. Now, these things that usually have a 264 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: way of evening out or really ending up in Nature's favor. 265 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: Mother Nature is like a casino. She'll let you win 266 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: a little, and you may even win a lot, but 267 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: in the end the house always comes out on top. 268 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: Neither one of them are in the business to let 269 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: you win for long. They used like to love you 270 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: into a false sense of security, then whammo, you lose. 271 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: I would be reminded of that very soon. I don't 272 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: know why it surprised men in the end. I don't 273 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: think it really did. I was just on a roll 274 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: and I had time for one more throw of the 275 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: dice because Daddy was feeling lucky and baby needed a 276 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: new pair of shoes. I hunted all day where I 277 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: called up the two turkeys on the opening Monday, one 278 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: for me, one for my post daughter. The turkey I 279 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: was on a daylight answering every call I made to him, 280 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: had a hen with him. He walked away, no problem, 281 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: Go find another one, and I did. I found him 282 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: strutting in a field. I made a big loop. After 283 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: making the perfect plan to get in there and set 284 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: up on it, I miscalculated where I thought he'd be 285 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: and I spooked him on to another property. With the 286 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: afternoon hunt run, I decided to pack it in early 287 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: so I didn't do any further damage. Actually, come to 288 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: find out, I didn't spook him at all. I spooked 289 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: a turkey that I didn't even know was there where 290 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: I'd planned to set that afternoon and jump that gobbler. 291 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: Before getting there, there was another gobbler gobling in that 292 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: spot the next morning. I wouldn't learn that until I 293 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: decided to go to a different spot and my host 294 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: texted me with the good news he heard him from 295 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: the back porch. Oh well, it didn't matter. The next morning, 296 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: I was on a different piece of property and listening 297 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: to several turkeys goblin. It would only be a matter 298 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:25,479 Speaker 1: of time. Remember I'm a turkey killer. The first turkey 299 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: I set up on that morning was doing his best 300 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: to gobble the world awake until he hit the ground. 301 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: After that he shut his yap and didn't say a word. 302 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: I called the hen in, expecting to have her boyfriend 303 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: rolling behind her, but alas she was sad. No problem, 304 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: Go fight another one, I did. He's back to where 305 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: another one had been gobling that morning, and there he stood, 306 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: almost half a mile away, blowed up like a big 307 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: black trash bag in the edge of an open field field. 308 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: Turkeys they're tough nuts to crack. Sometimes sometimes they're really easy, 309 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 1: or so I've heard from me. There was a long 310 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: tree lined fence road that ran along the south end 311 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: of that field for nearly half a mile, and I 312 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: was at the east corner. He was at the west. 313 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 1: There was a lot of ground between us, and I 314 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: had a drop dead time of twelve pm to get 315 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: out of there, to make the long trip back home 316 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: to catch a plane the next afternoon in a little 317 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: rock a good, bad, or indifferent. Come twelve o'clock, I 318 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: had to be making tracks for the Casa day reefs. 319 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: I watched him strutting and walking, strutting and walking, and realized, hey, 320 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: he was making his way toward me, and he was 321 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: following a hen. Now at the time, they were moving 322 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: pretty good, So I just sat down where I was 323 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: at at the east corner of the field. Last time 324 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: I saw him, he was about fifty yards north of 325 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: the edge, making his way straight toward me. A slight 326 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: rising in the elevation of the field kept me from 327 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: seeing him when I sat down. I just had to 328 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: be patient and trust the science of what I was doing. 329 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: I'd killed a sack full of turkeys just a week ago. 330 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: One I literally pulled the trigger on the other two 331 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: died of the trickery of my calling. This dude was 332 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: more or less given up by walking straight towards me. 333 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: I guess he'd heard about me. It figured it'd be 334 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: easier just to come on in and get it over with. 335 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: Forty minutes later, I started to think he wasn't coming. 336 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: Dad gun, I could have pedded the tricycle down there 337 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: and back in that length of time. Well, I slowly 338 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: stood up, shot gun at the ready, and there he was, 339 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: back in the original place I'd seen him over seven 340 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: hundred yards away. This was only going to prolong his 341 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: life for a few more minutes. As I crossed the 342 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: fence on the opposite side of the woodline and made 343 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 1: my way west. Just inside I headed out wheatfield. If 344 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:04,239 Speaker 1: he stayed where he was right now, he was a 345 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 1: dead man walking. The timber at that end of the 346 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: field was bigger and would allow me to slip in 347 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 1: there close enough to bust a cap if he decided 348 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: to retrace his steps. I was close enough to the 349 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: edge of the field that all I had to do 350 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: was standing in the shadows and send him one when 351 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: he got close enough. Either way, he might as well 352 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: been at Martha White's getting custom fitted with the battered 353 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: bathing suit he was going to be wearing while swimming 354 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: in my deep frier. The wind had picked up pretty 355 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: good now and it was blowing from north to south. 356 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: Any noise I made would be pushed away from him, 357 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 1: and the leaves had come on a lot since the 358 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: week before. That was going to hide my movement when 359 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: I got down to where he was, or allow me 360 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: to slip unseen up to the fence row. I cut 361 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,199 Speaker 1: the distance in half and peeked down to where I 362 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: could see him. He'd have that distance himself then was 363 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 1: walking back toward me. This was going to be easy. 364 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: He'd already walked this route and felt safe while doing it. 365 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: Turkey potpire, just plain old fried turkey. I couldn't decide 366 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: which one I was gonna cook first. I sat down 367 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: on the fence row. He didn't know I was on 368 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 1: the planet. He was walking towards me. It was now 369 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: at one hundred and fifty yards, But this time there 370 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: was no strutting, no hesitation, no follow on the hen. 371 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: He was on a bee line for the hen he'd 372 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: heard earlier. That sounded good and looked a whole lot 373 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: like me. I raised my double barrel up to my 374 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: shoulder and rested my thumb on the safety, waiting to 375 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: slide it forward, my index finger just outside the trigger guard, 376 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: Waiting patiently. I glanced down at my phone screen. Eleven 377 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: forty four am. I had sixteen minutes left at a 378 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: little over one hundred yards. I slid the safety off 379 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 1: and began sighting his red, white and blue head down 380 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: the barrel, the bead over and less and less of 381 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: his head and neck as he got closer with each 382 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 1: purposeful step. I picked out a spot at thirty yards 383 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 1: to send him a smoking tea spoon full of nastiness. 384 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: He's at eighty yards now, and he's showing no signs 385 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: of slowing down. This cat only has a few more 386 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 1: seconds to live, and in the blink of an eye 387 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: he ducked his head, flying and running back the way 388 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: he came as fast as his wings and feet would 389 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: toad him. I put my shotgun on safe and raised 390 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: my cheek from the stock, wondering what in the world 391 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: had just happened. When a crop duster nearly drug his 392 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: wheels through the top of the tree I was sitting 393 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: under as he made a big, loud pass right above me. 394 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: Had I had wings, I believe I'd have picked up 395 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 1: and flew with him. It scared me as bad as 396 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 1: he did a turkey. I found it humorous eventually, and 397 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: I watched that pilot making pass after as I walked 398 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: back towards my truck, shot gun broken down and resting 399 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: across my shoulder. I was nearly back when he passed 400 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: right over the top of me while banking back toward 401 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: the wheat field he was spreading. He was low and 402 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: I could see him clearly in the cockpit looking at me. 403 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: He was closer to me than the turkey ever got. 404 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: I gave him my thumbs up, and he puffed a 405 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 1: ball of marker smoke back at me. They do this 406 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,159 Speaker 1: by squirt and shot aill onto the exhaust, and the 407 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: white smoke is easy for me to see it and 408 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 1: helps them determine which way the wind is blowing. But 409 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,879 Speaker 1: that day, I think it was more of a sorry friend. 410 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 1: I've been humbled by mother nature more times than I 411 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 1: can remember. My own ineptitude had sent me back to 412 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: the house singing the blues even more. But getting my 413 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: ego put in checked by a crop duster man, that's 414 00:23:53,720 --> 00:24:03,719 Speaker 1: a new one even for me. I thank y'all for listening. 415 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:07,120 Speaker 1: If you are the pilot that was flying that day, 416 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: if you can prove it of you by telling me 417 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: where this happened, I'll send you a meat eater T shirt. 418 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: I was just playing that day you were working, and 419 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: I ain't mad at you. Send your stories into me 420 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: and Reva at MYTCL story at the medeater dot com. 421 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: Check out Mark Kenyon over and Wired to Hunt and 422 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: Old Clud over at the Bear Grigs until next week. 423 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: This is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.