1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Rieves 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,720 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 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: pull you up a chair or drop that tailgate. I 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: think I got a thing or two to teach you. 10 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: Hunting and fishing, food, taking groceries with you to get 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: you through the day. Out of nature can literally be 12 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: anything you can ok in your pockets. Now we're going 13 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: to talk about some of my favorites and how I've 14 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: done it over the years. But first I'm going to 15 00:00:54,360 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 1: tell you a story during the same time period of 16 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: getting bitten by the Copperhead. I talked about that on 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: episode one forty seven. You hadn't heard it, nobody want 18 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: to take a listen, but me and my running partner 19 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: Wayne Parnell, decided to go fishing at Lake Chico, near 20 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: the small town of Lake Village in the southeast corner 21 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: of the state. Lake Chico is an old Ox Bowl 22 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: Lake off the Mighty Mississippi River. It's the largest natural 23 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: lake in Arkansas. And get this, at three quarters of 24 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: a mile wide and twenty two miles long, that's five 25 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 1: thousand acres of surface water, and it makes it the 26 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: largest ox bowl lake in North America. The name Chico 27 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: comes from the French word for stumps, which is what 28 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: those early explorers called the cypress needs that grow along 29 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: the bank. Now, I've been tripping over cypress needs my 30 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: whole life as I poorly navigate and stumble my way 31 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: through existence. Them a lot of things, and I've heard 32 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: them called others, and yet none of them were sheicos, 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: which makes me wonder if that's a real French word, 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,839 Speaker 1: because lots of times when others have tripped on them 35 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: and called them names, they'd follow that up with excuse 36 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: my French, and none of those remotely rhymed with Chico. 37 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: But speaking of Sico, it's spelled c hict. And here's 38 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: a pro tip for you, if you ever find yourself 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: working undercover in Arkansas, the quickest way to let folks 40 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: know you ain't from the natural state is to pronounce 41 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: Siko as chicot el dareda as El Dorado and Nevada 42 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: as Nevada. You're welcome. Now, want some more interesting facts 43 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: about Lake Chico, Of course you do. Charles Lindbergh took 44 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: his first night flight over the lake in nineteen twenty three. Now, 45 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,519 Speaker 1: if you're asking yourself who Charles Lindbergh is, punch yourself 46 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: from the jaw, then go look up your history teacher 47 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: and do the same. Now, three hundred and eighty one 48 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: years before Old Chuck was buzzing around the lake in 49 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: his airplane. Hernando de Soto, the famed Spanish explorer who 50 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: was credited with being the first European to cross the 51 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: Mississippi River, ceased to function as a living Spaniard and 52 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: was buried near the lake, which was still part of 53 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: the river. Then, sometime after the internment, Is Paul bearers 54 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: got together and dug him up and chunked Hernando into 55 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: the river, hoping to keep up the rules of him 56 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: being some kind of god, to whom native folks and 57 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: started to grow suspicious of, especially since it was a 58 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: little out of character for the great and powerfuls to 59 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: get sick and die. Anyway, Lake Chico was where me 60 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: and Wayne Parnell found ourselves at the butt crack of dawn, 61 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: sliding an aluminum boat from the back of his truck 62 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: into the water. We had an old and I mean 63 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: an old nine nine Johnson outboard motor and two paddles 64 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: that would probably run faster but also required more effort. 65 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: We could fire that little Johnson up and cruise at 66 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: top speed while almost creating awake as we cut across 67 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: the surface and up connerly bow to the spot that 68 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: reportedly held some big slab crappie that we'd recently heard about. 69 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: I feel compelled to address this crappy versus crappy pronunciation debate, 70 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: but do I really need to. They're also called white perch, 71 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: the pinnacle panfish of old men who wear Dicky's jumpsuits 72 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: like a uniform wheeled twelve foot jig poles with the 73 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: dexterity of zoro and guard their favorite jig patterns and 74 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: fishing spots like the formula for Coca cola. Now, these 75 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: folks had a coat like falling where I grew up. 76 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: It's someone going to stand up and say they'd rather 77 00:04:52,920 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: catch and eat something crappy as opposed to crappy. I 78 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: didn't think so, but Hey, if eating something crappy is 79 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 1: your thing, I bet you like pecan pie as opposed 80 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: to pecan. A peacn is what we kept under the 81 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: bed at my great Grandpa's house. There was an outhouse 82 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: off the back porch, but that's a different story. Wayne 83 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: and I weren't crappie fishermen by any means, but we 84 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: aspired to be. We were going crappie fishing after inadvertently 85 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: receiving some intel from a couple of those jumpsuit whearing 86 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: old men we'd heard talking at Carl's One Stop. Carls 87 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: as everybody called it, was a bait shop that was 88 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: located on the edge of town in Warren, Arkansas. Mister 89 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: Carl Savage was the sole proprietor and had been as 90 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: far as I knew it, right after the mud dried 91 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: up on the keel of Noah's boat. But while we 92 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: were in there buying various sundrys to further our outdoor exploits, 93 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 1: most notably twenty two shelves and skulld two items we 94 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: never seemed to have enough of. Back then we overheard 95 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: some info loose lips, sink ship's papaul and all is 96 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: fair in Love and War. When we overheard them describe 97 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: the exact spot they'd caught an ice chest full of 98 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: slab croppie two days ago, and the color combination of 99 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: jigs they used. We each made a mental note as 100 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: we stared bug out each other, like we just solved 101 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: the mysteries of the Pyramids. I glanced towards where they 102 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: were holding cord at that coffee table, and on the 103 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: wall in the wide open for all to sea was 104 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: a twelve inch by twelve inch card that was full 105 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: of those colored jig paters. Sweet Jesus, this is going 106 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: to be too easy. Not only had we overheard where 107 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: they were fishing, but also what they were fishing with. 108 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: We added a jigpole and a double handful of those jigs, 109 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: along with a snuff and twenty two shells, and laughed 110 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: all the way to the truck. The next morning we 111 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: would light out before daylight for Lake Shiko and Connerly Bow. 112 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: It was hot that summer, and in the South when 113 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: it's hot, it seems like it's double hot on the 114 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: lake unless you're running around in a bass boat at 115 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: ninety miles prior or jumping into water every now and 116 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: then to cool off, and we were doing neither. We 117 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: were put putting up the bowl to the tune of 118 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: a motor that sounded a little more like a Singer 119 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: sewing machine, sweating like we were on a chain gang, 120 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: and feeling no relief from the heat. I looked at 121 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: the ice chest setting between us. I realized then that 122 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: I hadn't thought to bring any water to drink, and 123 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: we hadn't stopped for ice, and I rushed to get 124 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: through the hour long drive it took to get to 125 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: the lake that was no Wuano. I looked back at 126 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,559 Speaker 1: my pile from the front of the boat, his hand 127 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: on the tiller, sweat soaking through his t shirt, and 128 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: asking if he brought anything to drink. A frustrated look 129 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: came across his face, and he said, man, I forgot 130 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: the water jug That was also tally one more to 131 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: the no Buno list. When I opened the sack of 132 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: snacks that I brought from home, I've been carrying it 133 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: several times on different oulands of the past few weeks, 134 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: and thought I'd only eating sparingly from its contents. Staring 135 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: sadly into that warn and wrinkled sack, I inventoried four 136 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: cans of sardines, two sleeves of soda crackers. It looked 137 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: like a saltine jigsaw puzzle. That was gonna be our victuals, 138 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: along with whatever we bought at the store when we 139 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: stopped for ice. But for some reason, that store was closed. 140 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: When we drove by that morning in half a turb fashion, 141 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: I kicked that ice chest and set before us and 142 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: heard some cans roll around in it. Ah bingo. We 143 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: had something to drink. After all, they might be hot 144 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: sodi waters, but it was gonna be not having anything 145 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: to drink. It was still early, but the heat was 146 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: oppressive and I was ready to quench my thirst, and 147 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: so was Waine. You ready for something to drink? Wayne 148 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: nodded his head and held out his hand. I opened 149 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: the ice chest and I saw five Budweiser beer cans 150 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: that had been rolling around in that ice chest so 151 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: long that the cans were almost solid silver. Now, if 152 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: you're keeping score, it's time to chalk up another. That's 153 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: no bueno. I looked at Wayne and said, whose ice 154 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: chest is this? He said, I don't know. I got 155 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: out of the back of your truck. Now that might 156 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: sound strange to some, but believe me, at this juncture 157 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: of my existence, I wasn't fully vaccinated against high jinks 158 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: and poor decision making. I do not condone or promote 159 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: these actions to adults, much less nineteen year old hooligans 160 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: who may or may not have occasionally patronized one of 161 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 1: the local bootleggers. But at of social gathering the night 162 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: before our fishing trip, someone had traded ice chest with me. 163 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: I must confess that mine also held a quantity of 164 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: adult beverages. And while in the eyes of the law, 165 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: I wasn't looked upon as being an adult, it seems 166 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: I also went out of my way not to act 167 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: like one. But the ice chests also had some cold 168 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: drinks in it that weren't manufactured in Milwaukee, and that's 169 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: what we've planned on having with us on the lake 170 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: that day, along with the water jug that Waite forgot. 171 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 1: So there we were hot, thirsty, and hungry, and the 172 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: only remedy of being ninety four degree room temperature red 173 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: rocket budweisers, fish from a can, and crackers that had 174 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: been abused to the point of looking more like corn meal. 175 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: Mister Leon, an old veteran i've talked about many times, 176 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: told me about being so thirsty in World War Two 177 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: that he drank from a mudhole on the island of 178 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: Saipan that had wiggletail swimming around in it. Now, I've 179 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: never experienced that kind of thirst, but right then I 180 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: felt like I was as thirsty as I'd ever been 181 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: in my life. It was horrible and delicious at the 182 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: same time. Horrible that we were eating the sardines to 183 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: wash the hot beer taste out of our mouths, and 184 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: delicious in the sense that we at least felt like 185 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: we were hydrating ourselves, when in reality we were doing 186 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: the exact opposite. Doing the exact opposite of the correct 187 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: thing to do would be a template I'd occasionally struggled 188 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: with in the coming years, but I never went fishing 189 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: again without making sure I had a water jug. Speaking 190 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: of the fishing, we didn't catch a fish, not one. 191 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: We suffered through the hot beer, sardines and cracker crumbs, 192 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: and lost nearly every jig we'd bought it. Carls fishing 193 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: in a submerged tree top that was stealing jigs from 194 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: us faster than we could drop them in there, Wayne 195 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: wound up breaking his jig pole. We'd suffered greatly and 196 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: then never caught a fish. We went home defeated. Two 197 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: or three years later, I was telling my dad that 198 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: story while he and I were fishing one day. He 199 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: started laughing and he said, out there, I'll never forget it, 200 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: you big dummy. Those old men tricked y'all into buying 201 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: all that stuff. How many folks do you know to 202 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: talk out loud about where they're catching crappee down to 203 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: the exact specific place they were, And if those jigs 204 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: were so good, I come to mold men hadn't done 205 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,839 Speaker 1: bottlem all. I thought about what he was saying as 206 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: he said it, and it became crystal clear that he 207 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: was right. That was thirty eight years ago, and I'm 208 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: sure those old fellows have passed on long ago. I'm 209 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 1: also sure they got a big kick out of that, 210 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: even though they didn't know the full measure of our folly. Now, 211 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: had they known, they might have felt sorry for us 212 00:12:53,640 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: and taking us with them one day. Probably not, but 213 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: but they got us, and that's just how that happened. 214 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: When I'm hunting and fishing, I'm usually hunting and fishing 215 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: for something to eat. That's part of the drive that 216 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: makes me want to leave the house before breakfast for 217 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: just about everything I chase except coons. Now that's an 218 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: endeavor that starts after supper and when it gets dark 219 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: and the night creatures begin to stir. I also don't 220 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,440 Speaker 1: shoot every coon we tree, or eat every coon I 221 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: do shoot. But you can bet, though, if I knock 222 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: one out of that tree to get his hide, that 223 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: someone will benefit from that neked coon. I know lots 224 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: of folks that like to eat them, and I'm included 225 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:45,199 Speaker 1: in that group. And back in January, I was at 226 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: an event where me and a gymnasium full of like 227 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 1: minded souls did our best to erect nine hundred pounds 228 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: of smoke bandidos. I even shot a small video on 229 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: my Instagram of how I cooked one myself a couple 230 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: of weeks ago, So check that out af you interested. Now, 231 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: that's a cooking only video, not a meat cleaning video. 232 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: There are four glands that had to be removed before 233 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: cooking one, and I'm going to video that pretty soon. 234 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: But unless you're toting to skillet and some grease with 235 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: you, you're probably stowing some snackerls in your pocket for when 236 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: the hunger panes hit later on there's always some go 237 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: tos like jerky and fruit and granola and trail mix 238 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: and such, but my experience has always been somewhat limited 239 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: to either homemade ham and sausage, biscuits, blowny sandwiches, or 240 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: what was a staple at our house when you didn't 241 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: have time to make something better, and that was crackers 242 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: and cans of beanie weenies, potted meat and veiny sausages. 243 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: I know, I know, I didn't say Vienna. Well, long 244 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 1: before I had any idea there was such a place 245 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: as Austria, much less Vienna, those little round cans of 246 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: meat and goodness were referenced as vain of sausages. I 247 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: don't know what the problem is. It says it right 248 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: there on the can in a Viena, and even with 249 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: it so clearly defined and printed on the label, the 250 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: folks in my circles have managed to further my line 251 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: that pronunciation to Vaeni. Anyway, There's other things to consider 252 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: as well when you pokeing some grub in your pockets 253 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: before hitting the woods, like environmental factors hot and cold 254 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: can have more than a preservative influence on what you 255 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: plan to eat later. On a case in point references 256 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: a can of Vaenis. Many moons ago, Me, my brother Tim, 257 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: and Andy Johnson, the Pride of Dallas County, Arkansas, were 258 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: duck hunting in the Saline River Botts. It was cold, 259 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: and we'd had a pretty good born of shooting ducks 260 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: in the flooded timber when the mid morning loll rolled in. 261 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: Now you duck hunters know what I'm talking about. The 262 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: initial early morning flights peter out and there's a break 263 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: into action for a little bit, and that's when the 264 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: folks start hitting the bushes and some coffee loose mess 265 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: with the decoys or start scrounging around looking for something 266 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: to eat. I asked Andy if he was hungry. He 267 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: said he was about to starve slap to death. But 268 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: also he didn't bring anything. No worries, mate, we got 269 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 1: you covered. I hollered at him to check the grub 270 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: box in the boat. The grub box was an old 271 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: Army surplus fifty caliber AMMO can that had a locking 272 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: waterproof lid. He walked over and dug around a minute 273 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: or two, and then chunk me two kins of ayanies 274 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: in rapid succession. I cracked one open with some cold hands, 275 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: revealing the little nubs of meat, bathing tastefully and clear, 276 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: gelatinous gobs of goo. And I hanted Andy the can, 277 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: and he handed it right back. And I said I 278 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: thought she was hungry. He said, I am. I said, 279 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: you don't like vainies. He said, I ain't never been 280 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: bad about eating anything? What had salve on it? Too bad? 281 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: Andy more for me and Timmy. So was Andy really hungry? 282 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: I dare say he wasn't. My buddy Michael Roseman turns 283 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: his nose up at potted meat. He also won't eat 284 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 1: coon or drink coffee, but he loves squirrels. There's just 285 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 1: no accounting for tastes, as the saying goes, Speaking of taste, 286 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,400 Speaker 1: what about them veinies and potted meat? What is the flavor? Now? 287 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: They're both made from chicken, pork, and beef, But to me, 288 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: they don't taste like any of them specifically. The taste 289 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: is uniquely their own. And if you eat a large 290 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: portion of them over a long period of time, you'll 291 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 1: get to see what anesthesia tastes like. When they do 292 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: you hart bypass. Apparently the goodness found in those little 293 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: meat sticks of clavered goodness is baked with more fat 294 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: than protein, so you better off to partake only in moderation, 295 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: and on those special occasions like tonight when Michael and 296 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: I hit the woods with our four legged coon haters, 297 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: I'm bringing the snacks. My baby girl, Bailey loves the 298 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: snack when we're hunting, and I think one of her 299 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: favorite parts of the hunt is planning and stocking up 300 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 1: before we start. That's always her job. We were talking 301 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: about the subject of this podcast on the way to 302 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: school this morning and I asked her what her favorite 303 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: hunt snack was EM and M's and doctor pepper was 304 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: her immediate response, But before we'd gone a mile that 305 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:24,199 Speaker 1: had shifted to peanut butter crackers, before settling in on 306 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: Cheeto puffs. The only constant was the Dr Pepper, probably 307 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: because she's only allowed one of those a week. But 308 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, that's something else that can involve the little ones, 309 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:38,120 Speaker 1: especially if they're just going to observe and not actually 310 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: pulling the trigger. And that's getting all the groceries ready 311 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: for you to go. Sometimes the night before we'll make 312 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: sandwiches or make some biscuits and sauces together, and I 313 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: let her do most of the preparation. It gets them 314 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: involved and includes them in the experience. When my son 315 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: Hunter was big enough to go with me until he 316 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: left home, sometimes we'd hunt all day, even if we 317 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: were close to home, we'd get down and walk back 318 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 1: to the spot where we parked and built a fire 319 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,679 Speaker 1: and cooked deer birger with potatoes and onions and luminou 320 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: fold and the coals of the fire. It adds another 321 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: element to the experience of sharing a meal or even 322 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: just a snack. Remember the grub box that was an 323 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: old army Ammo cane. Well, my brother Tim and I 324 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: used to put sleeves and crackers and cans of goodies 325 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: in them, several of them, everything that I've talked about here, 326 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: including smoked oysters and sardines, and we'd bear them in 327 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: various places before turkey season started while we scouted around 328 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: through the bottoms. Then when we found ourselves in a 329 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 1: particular place that had one of our food cashes weeks 330 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: later and us in need of a little snack, we'd 331 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,479 Speaker 1: dig it up and eat. It was fun and on 332 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: the hunch that we didn't kill a turkey, but got 333 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: hungry enough to go find one of the grub boxes 334 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: we'd hidden throughout the woods, and I remember those just 335 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: as fondly as the ones were we did toe the 336 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: turkey home. I can't count the times I've taken just 337 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:06,959 Speaker 1: a thermis of coffee in an apple and sat on 338 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: the side of the Little Red River while fly fishing 339 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: with Frenzen just enjoyed the conversation and the peace and 340 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: quiet of the rolling river. Man, it'll feed your souls 341 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: just as well as it'll feed your billy. It's not 342 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,400 Speaker 1: so much what you're eating that's imported, but who you're 343 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: eating it with. And the best part, especially with kids, 344 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: is you don't have to be hunting or fishing, just 345 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 1: plenty of time to take a hike, riding a boat, whatever, 346 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 1: pack some groceries of any kind, and go make an 347 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: outing of it and eating the woods. It never ceases 348 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:44,119 Speaker 1: to amaze me how much better a hot dog taste 349 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: cooked over a fire the further you are from home, 350 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: not aught about do it. I hope you've enjoyed it, 351 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: and I hope you'll get out with someone you don't 352 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 1: mind sharing a can of by any with and add 353 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: an additional element to your experience to be surprised as 354 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:10,439 Speaker 1: time goes by, how many of those times, Man, until 355 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: next week. This is Brent Reeve signing off. Y'all be careful.