1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trotlining and just in general country living. 3 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: my experiences in life lessons. This Country Life is presented 5 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: by Case Knives from the store More Studio on Meat 6 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best outdoor podcast that 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 1: airways have to offer. All right, friends, grab a chair 8 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: or drop that tailgate. I've got some stories to share 9 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: Bear Brent and coon Kebobs from an article about a 10 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: coon hunt that was published one hundred and ninety four 11 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,480 Speaker 1: years ago to one I actually went on last night. 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: There's a common thread between them. Chasing masked midnight marauders 13 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: with hounds is older than this nation, and in a 14 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: narrative that played out when all of America was still 15 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: east of the Mississippi River. Our story begins with the 16 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: protagonists sitting on a limb laughing at the hunter and 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: ends with the hunter having the last laugh himself. They'rely confused, 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: don't be. I rarely know what I'm talking about until 19 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: we get toward the end of these things, so we 20 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: might as well get to it. When I moved from 21 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: my home office out to my new studio digs provided 22 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: by the good folks at store War. I ran across 23 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: the items I'd misplaced and discovered others that heck, I 24 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: didn't even know I had, and one was a folded 25 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: piece of paper someone had printed out for me. Now 26 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: I can only assume it was at a Black Bear 27 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: Bonanza or similar event, which is coming up March the 28 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: seventh this year. By the way, I have no idea 29 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: who I got it from, but from the way it's folded, 30 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: I apparently stuck it into my overalls and then hid 31 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 1: it from myself in the old office upstairs. Now I 32 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: do that a lot, hide things from myself, or Alexis 33 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: gets up in the middle of the night and secretly 34 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: moves all my stuff around, which is more than likely 35 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: what's really going on anyway. It's a copy of an 36 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,639 Speaker 1: old story that was written in the first outdoor magazine 37 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: published in America. It made me laugh a little bit 38 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: reading it, and some consider it to have been an 39 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: influence on our Tier one Southern humors, like Mark Twain 40 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: and even mister Jerry Klower. But first, I'm going to 41 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: tell you a little about the publication The American Turf 42 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: Register and Sporting Magazine was a monthly American magazine published 43 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: from eighteen twenty nine to eighteen forty four. In this 44 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: monthly issued periodical, of the subject most focused on was 45 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: horse racing, fishing, and field sports. It was founded by 46 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: John Stuart Skinner of Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first 47 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: magazine of its kind in the US. I wouldn't be 48 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: scared to say it was the Grandpappy to all outdoor media, 49 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: including what you're listening to now. It was published from 50 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: eighteen twenty nine to eighteen forty four, and during that 51 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 1: fifteen year period, there was a lot going on, especially 52 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: you're in Arkansas, like shedding the designation of territory and 53 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: officially becoming the twenty fifth state in eighteen thirty six, 54 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: which coincidentally was about the same time the Reeves family 55 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: started making tracks down in what would become Cleveland County, 56 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: U s. A. But four years prior to that great 57 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: day of celebration, the American Turf Register published a letter 58 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: to the editor entitled the Dog and the Rack Who 59 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: a Fable. The letter was sent in by an anonymous 60 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: penman who identified himself only as an Arkansas hunter in 61 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: his clothing here in His prose is a fable within 62 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: the tale of two soldiers, a dog and a coon 63 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: near Fort Smith, a frontier military post established in eighteen seventeen. 64 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: The event the writer describes was reported to the American 65 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: Turf Register in eighteen thirty two. Here now is the 66 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: letter as written before warning, there's one cuss word in here, 67 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 1: and I'm going to read it as the fellow wrote it. 68 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 1: If you need a clue what it is. Before the 69 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: kids listened Beaver's build them every day. Also, these folks 70 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: wrote way different back then, so try and hang on 71 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 1: through these run on sentences. This dude wrote their worse 72 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: than mine. Anyway. I like this and I'm going to 73 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: read it to you now, mister Editor, Little Rock, Arkansas, 74 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: August twenty ninth, eighteen thirty two. Mister editor, in one 75 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: of the numbers of your sporting magazine, you mentioned some 76 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 1: well authenticated facts of Captain Martin Scott's skill in the 77 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: use of firearms. An anecdote which I have heard in 78 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: connection with the same circumstances, which though improbable, is so 79 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: much to the point that I have been tempted to 80 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: send it to you. When the Old Rifle Regiment was 81 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: stationed at Fort Smith on the Arkansas, under the command 82 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: of Major Bradford. Captain Scott, then Lieutenant Scott, was stationed 83 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: at that post. He was perhaps a better shot at 84 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: that time than he has ever been since, for since 85 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: then he has received an injury in the right arm. 86 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: I well know that it was very common for him 87 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: at that time, in a misty day, to set up 88 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: on the upper gallery or stoop of his orders and 89 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: shoot the common chimney swallow on the wing with as 90 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: unerring certainty as one of our backwoodsmen would hit the 91 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: paper on a target at sixty yards at a beef 92 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 1: shooting at this same post was another officer, a Lieutenant 93 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 1: Van Schweringen, who, though much addicted to the pleasure of hunting, 94 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: was a notoriously bad shot. And it appears that a 95 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 1: dog had treated a raccoon in a very tall cottonwood, 96 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: and after barking loud and long to no purpose, the 97 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: coon expostulated with him and endeavored to convince him of 98 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: the absurdity of his spending his time in labor at 99 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: the foot of the tree, and assured him that he 100 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: had not the most distant idea of coming down the tree, 101 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: and begs him as a fellow creature, to leave him 102 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: to the enjoyment of his rights. The dog replied naturally, 103 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: but I fear not in the same conciliatory style all 104 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: of the coon, but threatened him with the advent of 105 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: someone that would bring him down. At this moment, a 106 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: cracking in the cane indicated the approach of some individual. 107 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: The coon asked the dog who it was, and the 108 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: dog replied with some exultation that it was Lieutenant Van Swearingen. 109 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: The coon laughed, and he laughed with a strong expression 110 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: of scorn about his mouth. Lieutenant van Swearingen, indeed, he 111 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: may shoot and be damned. Van Swearingen made five or 112 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: six ineffectual shots and left the coon to the great 113 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: discomfiture of the dog, still unscathed and laughing at the 114 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: top of the tree. The dog smothered his chagrin by 115 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: barking louder and louder, and the coon laughed louder and louder, 116 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: until the merriment of the one and the mortification of 117 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: the other was arrested by the approach of some other person. 118 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: The coon inquired who it was, and the dog answered 119 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: with a quickness that it was Scott who asked the 120 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: coon evidently agitated, why Martin Scott? By God, the coon cried, 121 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: in the anguish of despair, that he was a gone coon, 122 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: rolled up the white of his eyes, and folded his 123 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 1: paws on his chest, and tumbled out of the tree 124 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: at the mercy of the dog, without making the least 125 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: struggle for that life which he had but a few 126 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: minutes before, so vulnagarly declared and believed was in no 127 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: kind of danger. Signed an Arkansas hunter. Now, the moral 128 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: of this fable is there is no elevation in this 129 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: life that will justify us and indulging in unbecoming levity 130 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: towards our inferiors. They wrote different back then. And now 131 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: what I got out of that little tale was a 132 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: lesson in humility, respect, and proper behavior. And I got 133 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: myself a doosed to that. Earlier in the week, when 134 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: my little buddy, who ain't so little anymore, Baron Nukele, 135 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: came to stay a couple of day, I said, Cassaday 136 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: reves for an experimental exercise and coon hunting. Here's how 137 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: it all started. On February the fifth, I got a 138 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: text from Barr John and I quote, do you think 139 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: whaling could try a coon, I could shoot with my bow. Now, 140 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: folks that know me know that I am forevermore smart 141 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: whose self confidence is limited only by the limitations of 142 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 1: what the folks around me are willing to put up with. 143 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: And when Bear posed that question to me, I responded 144 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: with the question, is do you think you can shoot 145 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: with your bow a coon that whaling trees? I can 146 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: only imagine His response to my immediate reply was like 147 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: the majority of his takes on my ever feeble attempts 148 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: at humor. Instead of being an adult for once in 149 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: my life and answering a question like I'm not in 150 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 1: the fifth grade, I'm willing to bet, he gave me 151 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: a courtesy smile reminiscent of Mona Lisa while following up 152 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: with I'll call you in five. Now, I've watched this 153 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 1: young man grow up for nearly a decade and a 154 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 1: half and count among my biggest accomplishments when I've literally 155 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: made him laugh out loud or gotten anything out of 156 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: him beyond the Gary Cooper type. Yep. During the conversation, 157 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: he called me and we started working on setting aside 158 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: a couple of nights for his date with Destiny. February 159 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: is a weird time to coon hunt with hounds, at 160 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: least it is in Arkansas. The rut is usually in 161 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: full swing by then and the boys are making tracks 162 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: all over the country looking for the gowns with similar inclinations. 163 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: Coon scent is everywhere, with boys going up and down 164 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: every tree, in and out of every den and hollow 165 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: log checking for sALS that are in heat. They cover 166 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: a lot of territory looking for willing partners, way larger 167 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: than the normally roam miles bigger in fact, so feeding 168 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: is secondary to their desire to reproduce. How does that 169 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:05,319 Speaker 1: affect a coon hunting, I'm so glad you asked. By 170 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: covering more ground, it makes it harder for house to 171 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: find them in the usual places. It doesn't mean that 172 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 1: another boar could be in that place the others have abandoned. 173 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: Could be, but not likely because once they are located 174 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: with the female, especially if she's the only one in 175 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: a particular area, the bench can get pretty deep with 176 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: potential suitors waiting in the wings and dooking it out 177 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: for a place on her dance car. There'll be concentrations 178 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: in a particular area where they've all gathered, but so 179 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: far this week that place has been hard to find. 180 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: I've been hunting hard leading up to Bear's visit to 181 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: find where these jokers are so I could have a 182 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: good chance of getting one treed for him to shoot 183 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: with his bowl. I have a place close to my 184 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: house that has both ridges and bottoms. Bottoms are covered 185 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: in tall standing oaks like you find in any place 186 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 1: where I grew up in Southeast Arkansas. But on the 187 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: rocky ridges of this the same property you'll find acres 188 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: of quirkers mariytlandica, the scrubby blackjack on most suitable for 189 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: cross times, fence posts and coon condos. The blackjack oak 190 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: only grows to around thirty feet over there. I've treated 191 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: a lot of coons there where they wouldn't be more 192 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: than twenty feet off the ground, a perfect height for 193 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: a fellow to make coon kebabs with a self made boat. 194 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: It was the perfect plant, except the coons ain't up 195 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: on them ridges. It's been dry this winter and there's 196 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: zero water up there. All the coons are in the 197 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:39,079 Speaker 1: bottoms where all the tall trees on. But with hoping, 198 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: our hearts and a coon dog on the leash, we 199 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: made a cast through the ridges, just in the off 200 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: chance of boar had chased the south up into that 201 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:51,720 Speaker 1: short timber. Norp Whaling never cracked his jaw, and he 202 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,079 Speaker 1: covered it from one end to the other. Eventually he 203 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: drifted southward toward the creek bottoms, and there he struck 204 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: a track. He was over five hundred yards away, and 205 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: we listened to him methodically working out the old coal track, 206 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: barking every time he caught a good will for what 207 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: he was tracking, while zig zagging back and forth through 208 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: the timber. We sat in the canon watching the hunt 209 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: unfold on the garment screen, but relied more on what 210 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: I was hearing from how he was barking, rather than 211 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:28,839 Speaker 1: concentrate solely on what the electronics were dictating. Finally, we 212 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: heard a long locate from Whaling and let us know. 213 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: He decided on a tree, and it took a while 214 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: for him to work it out, but he sounded confident 215 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: and we headed to him. He was right on the 216 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: edge of the bottoms where a big creek snaked its 217 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: way through the hardwoods, two one hundred and fifty yards 218 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: south from the short black jack oaks. We were hoping 219 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: each tree in alas it was not to be. We 220 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 1: gathered the cameras and the bows and arrows and lights 221 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: and little shock for where Whaling was telling all within 222 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: the earshot that he had a coon tree. Since Barry 223 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: had called me and asked me about the possibility of 224 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 1: him getting a coon with his bow that wailed and treed, 225 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: I knew the limiting factory we'd be facing was how 226 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: far the shot was going to be. He's not shooting 227 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: a compound. That'd be like using the twenty two, except 228 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: you more than likely not going to get the air back, 229 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: and or you will pin the coon to the top 230 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: of the tree, neither of which being a desired outcome. 231 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: I had zero doubt the lad could accomplish this feet 232 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: in the proper terrain, but my hopes were fading fast 233 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: on this second night a hunting after we treed the 234 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 1: first one the night before. On Bear's second shot, he 235 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: bounced an arrow off of that coon that was sitting 236 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: over forty feet in the tree, hitting him right in 237 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: the bread basket. But the coon was as high as 238 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: Willy Nelson, and the arrow had lost so much energy 239 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: by the time it got there. All that coon did 240 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: was climb a little higher. We made our way to 241 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: this tree. He had met Wailing at the base of 242 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: a water roape that had forked near the bottom, with 243 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: each climbing into the darkness at a twenty five degree 244 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: angle and stretching way beyond Bear's bowl range. As I 245 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: crossed the creek on the sandy shoal, I saw that 246 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: it was littered with coon tracks. Well, at least I 247 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: found where the coons had been having out, and I 248 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: crawled up the opposite bank and gave Whaling a pad 249 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: on the knocking and got a better look at the 250 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: coon Bear had first spotted from across the creek. The 251 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: shot wasn't much further than the one the night before, 252 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: but there was a bigger chunk of that coon hanging 253 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: out of the fork of the tree that he was 254 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: laid up in. He made him away better target. So 255 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: Bear across the creek and had to meet a camera 256 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: and commenced to flinging arrows with no effect into the 257 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: heavens one by one. I watched him as they arched 258 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: toward that resting coon, who, like the one in the 259 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: first part of this episode, must have equated bears marksmanship 260 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: skills to that of Lieutenant Bence wearing He didn't look 261 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: the least bit concerned until I pulled the coon squaler 262 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: out of my chest pack and started serenading him with 263 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: the sounds of coon spoiling for a fight. I kept 264 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: squalling at him, and Whaling doubled up on his BARKX 265 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: permitted it got loud, y'all. I saw that coon turn 266 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: upside down in that fork and told Bear John, here 267 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: he comes. He started easing down the tree at a 268 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: steady but leisurely pace, on the opposite side from us, 269 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: And just as just as bar knocked another arrow and 270 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: started for the other side of the tree, that joker 271 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: bailed out like a flying squirrel, about thirty feet off 272 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: the ground. He hit the ground with a thud, and 273 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: Bear took off. After they both made it to the 274 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: creek with no airs even close in that direction, I 275 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: cut Waiting loose to hopefully put his famidy back up 276 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: a tree, or at least keep him bathe for Bear 277 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: to get a shot, and that's what happened. Whaling bade 278 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: him in a cut bank on the opposite side of 279 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: the creek. I chunked him my lead and bartide waiting back, 280 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: and then he ran the air through that coon's brain bucket, 281 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: successfully accomplishing his goal, well sort of. He'd requested to 282 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: shoot a coon to wait in the treat, and technically 283 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,439 Speaker 1: he'd done that, just not in the way we want it. 284 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: But could it be done? Most assuredly? Do I know 285 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: anyone else who'd want to try it? Probably not? Is 286 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: there anyone else I think could have done it any better? 287 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: Definitely not. It was fun to watch bar navigate his 288 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: way through the test he decided himself, and I was 289 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,640 Speaker 1: glad to offer him all the help I could give, 290 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: as little as it turned out to be. He's working 291 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,199 Speaker 1: hard and a great example to his generation and a 292 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: breath of fresh air to mine. He likes the woods 293 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: and challenges himself to do things that may be new 294 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: to him but considered archaic by others. But that's how 295 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,919 Speaker 1: the old things stay alive, live forever, by someone in 296 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 1: each generation seeing the value of what has been Now 297 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: I could just talk him into getting a haircut. Thank 298 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: y'all so much for listening about mind wailing and bears 299 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: coon kebab adventure. If you have a chance, please share 300 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: this country life with other folks you think might enjoy it. 301 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: And if you've really got a lot of time on 302 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 1: your hands. Leave us a review on iTunes. The nerds 303 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: back at the lab tell me it's the best way 304 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: to get the word out to like minded folks like 305 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: this wondrous amalgamation of humans who listen until next week. 306 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: This is Brent Reeve signing off. Y'all be careful.