1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 2: I'm your host, Brent Reeves from coon hunting to trotlining and. 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Just general country living. I want you to stay a. 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 2: While as I share my experiences in life lessons. This 5 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 2: Country Life is presented by Case Knives from the store 6 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: More Studio on Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 2: best outdoor podcast that airways have to offer. All right, friends, 8 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: grab a chair or drop that tailgate. I've got some 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: stories to share. From Corner to Corner. It's girl Week 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 2: here on This Country Life, or what my wife Alexis 11 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 2: and daughter Bailey called just another week, but we're celebrating 12 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: some stories featuring gals from Washington Domain. We're going corner 13 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: to corner and there's no better time to start than 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 2: riding now. This story comes in from Washington States, very 15 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: on Tyler Grosley and Tyler's very own little girl named Annie. 16 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 2: Y'all know I have twice as many girls as I 17 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 2: do boys in my begettings, and I'm always a little 18 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: partial to talking about girl power. I'm surrounded by strong 19 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 2: women in this house and at work, and I struggled 20 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: just to get them to do what I say. And 21 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: by struggle, I mean I don't even try anyway. Tyler's 22 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: been putting folks in new cars up and over there 23 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: in Yakamall for many moons, and a little over nine 24 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: years ago, the Groslies were blessed with little Annie, who 25 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: acquired the nickname Hoot on the day the stork dropped 26 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: her off. I'm gonna let her daddy tell you the 27 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: rest of that, So when Tyler's words in my voice, 28 00:01:55,240 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: here we go. Hoot is my daughter Annie. She's eight 29 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: years old. She was given the nickname Hoot on the 30 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 2: day she was born because of the adorable little hooting 31 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 2: snores that she made while she was sleeping. She has 32 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: been raised in the woods, and I've carried her in 33 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: a backpack on pheasant and quail hunts, fishing, backpacking, overnight 34 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: shooting bowls in the yard, and literally a hundred miles 35 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: one summer when I signed up for the back Country 36 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: Hunters and Anglers Hiked to Hunt Challenge. She has been 37 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 2: my constant companion, my little outdoor sidekick. I'm semi ashamed 38 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: of how many packs of raben she's eating that I 39 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: cooked in a jet. 40 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: Ball on the trail or the tailgate of my truck. 41 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna say she throws a fit when I 42 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: leave for a multi day hunt, but I'll say she 43 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 2: sure does count about. 44 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: It for there. So she has been itching. 45 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: To go with my hunting stories and tales of camp 46 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,239 Speaker 2: and helping me cut and wrap me have always given 47 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 2: her a case of the foemos. So I decided this 48 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: year that eight years old was old enough for her 49 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: hunter safety course, and we signed her up for Washington's 50 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: online Hunter's Education in January. She worked her little tailoff, 51 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: getting through the course one piece at a time, thirteen 52 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: different segments and tests a bit too much for kids. 53 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: If you ask me. 54 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: But by mid March we were ready to get her 55 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: into a firearm field test, and luckily, a friend of 56 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: a friend is an instructor and he had us out. 57 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: To his home in Issue to test. 58 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 2: Two weeks before the start of youth Turkey season, we 59 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: went to the local game office to get who her 60 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 2: very first official big game license. I wish I would 61 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: have thought to take a picture of her walking out 62 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: with a satisfied grin on her face. 63 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: Holding the tag and her license. 64 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: And now on the way home, I asked her my 65 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: only burning question, WoT do you want to hunt? 66 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: Easy? 67 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 2: Out of the trailer in the place with lots of turkeys, 68 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: Or do you want to pack in and sleep on 69 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: the ground and hunt turkeys that if we bump them 70 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 2: they'll run off and we may not see them again 71 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: for a day or two. She said, Dad, I want 72 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 2: to hunt them hard like you do. That's my girl. 73 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,239 Speaker 2: The spot I had picked out is about three miles 74 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: from the truck, big rolling sage brush covered hills and 75 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,559 Speaker 2: rock escarpments, with a tiny little trickle of a creek 76 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: in the bottom, and the only trees for at least 77 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 2: a mile and a half in all directions. My lab 78 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: puppy and I met face to face with a lion 79 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 2: on a fresh deer kill while I was scouted in 80 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: the area a week before her season. Now I shared 81 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 2: that story with Hoot, which made her a tiny bit 82 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 2: nervous about our plan to hike in and camp. Luckily 83 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 2: for her, it rained like the dickens the day we 84 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 2: headed out, my tent being floorless, we opted to sleep 85 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: in the truck and head out in the dark, and 86 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 2: we hiked and sat, called, and hiked and sat and 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: called some more. Not a peep, not even a glimpse 88 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: of a bird just under eight miles underfoot. That day 89 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: was nothing but some elk ivories off of carcass and memories, 90 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 2: and so it went for the next three days. I 91 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: think who was beginning to doubt that wild turkeys existed 92 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 2: and I didn't have the ability to produce one, and frankly, 93 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 2: so was I. I let her take the first three 94 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: days off you seasoned off from school, and I think 95 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: she was glad to go back. We had another two 96 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,239 Speaker 2: day hunt plan the coming weekend, and Buddy, I was panicked. 97 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: I was digging around on on ax and calling the 98 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: game department, friends and asking anyone I could find for 99 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 2: permission to hunt their property. I felt like if I 100 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 2: couldn't get a gobbler in front of or at least 101 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: get her to hear gobble, I'd lose her on future 102 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 2: hunts forever. I had to get her a bird, and 103 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: it was getting time to hit the easy button for 104 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 2: her then lightning it. Uncle Jerry, good old uncle Jerry, 105 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: not really my uncle, but one of my dad's childhood friends. 106 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: He's got a tiny piece of property right in the 107 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 2: middle of prime turkey territory. 108 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 1: I called him up, Why yes, you can take Annie 109 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: down to hunt a turkey? 110 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 2: Fast forward two days later and I'm waking Hoot up 111 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 2: at four am. We walk out into the dark and 112 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 2: I owl right from the trailer. 113 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: Nothing walk a two mile loop. 114 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: Up and down the hills, creeping through the trees. Again, 115 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 2: not a people hoots. Turkey enthusiasm meter had taken a 116 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: noseedie from ten to about a four. Her little boots 117 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: are dragging a little more with the weight of defeat. 118 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: I'm internally away and options jump in the truck. Should 119 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: we drive forty minutes and get into the trees in 120 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 2: another spot and set. 121 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: Up the decoys, hope for the best. I just I 122 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: don't know. Then I look down at my little. 123 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: Trooper and I can see the weirdness in her eyes, 124 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: and she's getting that too much fun on the ferris wheel. Look. 125 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 2: Anyone that has taken the kid fishing and I produced 126 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: a fish in fifteen minutes knows what I'm talking about. 127 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: Now. 128 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: She hadn't complained once in all our days out. She's 129 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 2: even held my hand while we walked and thanked me 130 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: for taking her and including her. I just don't know 131 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: how much more she could take. I really have no 132 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 2: ideas left. My own hopes were burning low. So I 133 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 2: decided that maybe it's best to save her legs for 134 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: the next day and stake out a spot in the 135 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 2: oak grove, set up the decoys, do some blind calling, 136 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 2: and wait the morning until breakfast. We picked a spot 137 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: in front of a cluster of scrub oaks, a pretty 138 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: good view, and I set up my little blind I 139 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 2: crawled out fifteen yards and set up the decoys. Crawling 140 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,559 Speaker 2: back to who we started to get her settled behind 141 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: her four ten on my lap, and we were rustling 142 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 2: around a bit when she stops me, Dad, did you 143 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: hear that? I'm deaf in my right ear? And I say, no, 144 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 2: what you hear? I think I heard a gobble? She 145 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: whispered back. Now I have my doubts. I ask which way, 146 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: and she points out across the flat to the east, 147 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,319 Speaker 2: exactly where I would not want Tom to come from 148 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: uphill to us and across the road to boot Lord. 149 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: Please don't let him be there. Well, I gave a 150 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: couple of soft clucks on my red and. 151 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 2: Gobble far off. My heart does a backflip in my chest. 152 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 2: She turns up and looks at me from my lap. 153 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: I can't put the words to the gleam in the 154 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 2: spark I saw in her eye. I could not pin 155 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 2: for to Tom's gobbles because the sound was bouncing all 156 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 2: around off the little knobs and heels. And finally he 157 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 2: shows himself and came in from the west, right in 158 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 2: front of us, one hundred yards away and all henned up. 159 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: And he slow played us for over an hour, and 160 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 2: I slow played him right back, soft clucks and purrs 161 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 2: and scratching in the leaves. He strutted, he spit, and 162 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: he drunk the whole show over, over stepping an inch 163 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 2: in our direction at a time. The whole time, I 164 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 2: could feel Hoot's excitement. She was wrapped into his every move, 165 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: smoothly following him with the barrel of her gun and 166 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,599 Speaker 2: vibrating in my lap with anticipation. And then finally he 167 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 2: made up his mind to come in. I whispered to 168 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 2: Hoop that the green light to take the shot was 169 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,839 Speaker 2: when he hit the end of a down log twenty. 170 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: Five yards away. He never made it there. 171 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 2: Thirty He cut to our left and started this whole 172 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: show again over by the tree line, fifty yards out, 173 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: bobbing in and out of trees, never giving her a 174 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: clear shot. Finally I got him to turn back our way, 175 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: and he hit a clear spot and I said take him. 176 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 2: And I could feel the pounding of her little heart 177 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 2: against my chest, and she hesitated a little longer than 178 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 2: my over anxious self could handle. 179 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: Take him hoop and we're gonna lose him. 180 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 2: Boom that tom commenced to flop and she jumped off 181 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: my lap. I stood up and I grabbed her in 182 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 2: a huge hug, tears welling up in my eyes, and 183 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 2: we both ran to the down turkey. No need to 184 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 2: stand on his neck. The TSS had done its job. 185 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 2: My wife heard the shooting and the shouting and called 186 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: from the camp, and we signaled where we were, and 187 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 2: she made her way over to join us, and he 188 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 2: kneeled down next to her turkey and place to hand 189 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: on him and stroked his feathers. My wife and I 190 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 2: stood quietly and we just let her take it all in. Finally, 191 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 2: I knelt down beside her and we all held hands 192 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 2: and thanked God for the hunt and the turkey for 193 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 2: his bravery and his life. We carried him back to 194 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 2: the blind. We took some great photos and we high 195 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 2: five and we hugd some more. Who is very proud 196 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: of that turkey. It's beard is two inches longer than 197 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: my personal best at ten and three quarters. She's proud 198 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 2: to have provided food for our family and to help 199 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 2: cook the schnitzel that she loves. I look back on 200 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 2: that hunt finally, and I think about the relief and 201 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: elation of that moment, of the shot. 202 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: In the first gobble. 203 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: Mostly, though, I think about who, her drive, and her 204 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 2: effort and her pluck she put nearly fourteen miles under 205 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: her little boots, that for that moment, she suffered cold 206 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 2: and silent, fruitless days rain, early mornings and late nights, 207 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: walking off steep rock faces in the dark, and braving 208 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 2: a pitch black ridgeline that she knew held the line 209 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:16,959 Speaker 2: just a week before, weeks and hours in front of 210 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: the screen studying what the state requires her to be 211 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 2: a license hunter. 212 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: I'm very proud to have been able to give that 213 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: hunt to and. 214 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 2: I'm more proud of her sense of accomplishment, the confidence 215 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 2: she earned in those days that she will carry with 216 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 2: her throughout her life, Her will to keep going even 217 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 2: when it was awful, her desire to work hard, to 218 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 2: stick it out and fight for those things I know 219 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 2: are the real trophies that she claimed on that oak flat, 220 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 2: And when I look at her smile and the pictures 221 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 2: of that day, I can see them all. Well, Tyler 222 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 2: grossliff yaking my Washington, you ain't the only fellow that's 223 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 2: proud of her. As a matter of fact, there's two 224 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 2: down here in our south that have been smiling since 225 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: we first read that story. 226 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: And that's me and Old Whale. Thank you for sending 227 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: it in. 228 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 2: We've got Skip Bushy to thank for this one. Skip's 229 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 2: making tracks all over Buckfield, Maine. Buckfield the town almost 230 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 2: two thousand folks. He was settled in seventeen seventy six 231 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 2: by a fur trapper named Benjamin Spalton. Doubtful old Benjamin 232 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 2: would have had any idea that two hundred and fifty 233 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 2: years later, last Tuesday, March the third, that the town 234 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 2: office would be closed for the installation of some much. 235 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: Needed new windows. 236 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: They made up fourth oh, I stayed open until nine 237 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 2: pm on March the fifth. I learned that from their website. 238 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 2: Nice job Buckfield. Anyway, I got some friends up in Maine, 239 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 2: like Andrew McLean, and I'm on the market and I'm 240 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 2: adding to that list as we go along, like Skip 241 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 2: and his crew, this is a good one, and then 242 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 2: Skip's words in my voice, here we go. Years ago, 243 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 2: my son Ryan and I were lucky enough to get 244 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 2: drawn for a fall moose hunt in our. 245 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: Home state of Maine. 246 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: Out of the twenty wildlife Management districts, we were both 247 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 2: chosen for Zone five. Ryan's permit was for a bull 248 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 2: in late September, while my permit was for a cow 249 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 2: in the early November. Hitting the moose lottery is a 250 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: life event. It is months of anticipation, preparation, scouting and 251 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 2: making memories, and a lot of research and talking with 252 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 2: friends familiar with the zone. We reserved lodging with the 253 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: local bear hunting guide. 254 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: The camp was. 255 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: Perfect for our needs. Bunk houses were modished but everything 256 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: we needed. The main lodge is where we shared a kitchen, 257 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 2: dining and living room facilities, and we were surprised to 258 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 2: find there was only one other moose hunting party that 259 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 2: would be sharing the camp with us. We had a 260 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: small group, just my son, my wife, my mother in 261 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 2: law who was doing the camp cooking, and also had 262 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 2: a friend join us for a couple of days. The 263 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 2: other hunting party consisted of a teenage girl, Amanda and 264 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 2: her dad, and a grandpa and an uncle filling out 265 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: their crew. The season started Monday morning with unseasonably warm temperatures. 266 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: We hunted in the north woods of Maine from the 267 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 2: crack of dawn to dark. No moose sightings by either 268 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 2: hunting party on the first day, but hopes were still 269 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 2: high as we shared our stories of the day with 270 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 2: the other family over dinner. The weather continued to test 271 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,200 Speaker 2: our patients. As temperatures hit eighty degrees. The moose were 272 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 2: hunkered down and not moving. As days go by, the 273 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 2: thought of the long ride home with an empty truck 274 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 2: bed starts to weigh on your mind, and by Thursday morning, 275 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 2: you could cut the tension with a knife. 276 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: As we traveled the. 277 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 2: Dirt roads and glass cuttings and called from the perimeter 278 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 2: of swamps, it was late morning when we heard the 279 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 2: faint grunt. 280 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: Of a responding bull. As the bull approached, we caught. 281 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 2: A glimpse of his massive anters as he worked his 282 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: way through twelve foot high fir trees, grunting every step. 283 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 2: The bull turned about one hundred yards from where he 284 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 2: would have presented us with a shot, and all we 285 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: could do was watch as he circled down wind in 286 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 2: the cover of the planted trees, never showing. 287 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: Us his body. 288 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 2: He proceeded a couple hundred yards down wind and then 289 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 2: stepped out into the road. Unfortunately, we couldn't see him. Ironically, 290 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 2: the point he decided to show off his massive body 291 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 2: was six feet from where we had parked the truck 292 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 2: and where my wife had decided to stay and read 293 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: a book. Elane admired the Northwoods giant. She assumed we 294 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 2: had no idea that he had responded to our calling. 295 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 2: Now hindsight, it would have been handy to have two 296 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 2: way radios, but we didn't, so. 297 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: My wife rode a window down while the moose washed. 298 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 2: Unscared of her actions, she then screamed to the top of. 299 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 1: Her lungs, skip moose. 300 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 2: We had decided to stay put in hope that he 301 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 2: would make his way down the road in search of 302 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 2: the cow that had been serenating. 303 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: Him for the last thirty minutes. 304 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 2: My wife's clear communication, still echoing from the surrounding mountains, had. 305 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: The bull frozen just feet from the truck. 306 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 2: I'll never forget the look in my son's eyes as 307 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 2: he asked, now, what. 308 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: I wish I could go back and react differently. 309 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 2: But at the time I felt our only option was 310 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 2: to go to the edge of the road and see 311 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: what was going on, as we could not see the 312 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 2: truck or the moose from where we were sitting. What 313 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 2: we saw was burned into my memory. One hundred and 314 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 2: fifty yards up the road. It was a very nice, 315 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 2: fifty inch plus moose standing behind my truck, but looking 316 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 2: toward us over the hood, his eyes huge and staring. 317 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,400 Speaker 2: My wife in the back seat, winded down camera in hands, 318 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 2: eyes as huge as the bulls, pointing at the moose 319 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 2: like we couldn't see that, the humongous animal tipping his 320 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 2: antlers at us. Now, if I could go back, I 321 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: ought to have become a moose and challenge the moose 322 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 2: to come to us. But we were shocked at what 323 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 2: was happening and tried slowly walking up the road. We 324 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 2: watched as the big bull turned and walked out of 325 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: our lives. I think we both knew that that was 326 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 2: most likely the only chance we were going to have 327 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 2: that week. It was a very quiet ride back to 328 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 2: camp that Thursday evening, two days left to hunt. Would 329 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: we have another chance to close the deal? What can 330 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 2: you say to a fifteen year old that has been 331 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: dreaming of this hunt for four months. By Thursday, the 332 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 2: anticipation and excitement had turned into anxiety and depression. I 333 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 2: wondered to myself how he would share the story that 334 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 2: night with the other hunting party. I didn't think that 335 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 2: they could get much worse for him until we pulled 336 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 2: into the camp to find truck headlights lighting up the 337 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 2: biggest bull moose any of us had ever seen, a massive, 338 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 2: sixty inch ract, mesmerizing all of us. The sixteen year 339 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 2: old girl we had shared dinners and stories with had 340 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 2: put the smack down on the north Woods monster. After 341 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 2: congratulating Amanda and her family and wishing them well as 342 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 2: they packed up and pulled out of camp, we quietly 343 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: made our way to the lodge for a quick dinner. 344 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 2: It was on the dining table where my son found 345 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 2: a letter left for him from the guide Amanda's dad 346 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 2: had hired to do some scouting for him. He left 347 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 2: detailed locations of his plan for the last two days 348 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:11,160 Speaker 2: of the hunt. 349 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: He was already gone, but his. 350 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 2: Letter to my son was heartfelt and sincere, wishing him 351 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 2: good luck in getting his first moose. I was extremely 352 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 2: proud of my son as he kept a positive attitude 353 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 2: Over the next two days. He was the first to 354 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 2: be out of bed packing for the day. Had never 355 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 2: ever thought about giving up. We never saw another moose 356 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 2: that week. Six weeks later we were back in the 357 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 2: same bunk house. We were all alone at the camp. 358 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 2: The first morning of the cow moose hunt, Ryan shot 359 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 2: a beautiful north Woods buck. Didn't see a moose that Monday, 360 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 2: but we had a nice buck hanging on the game pole. 361 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 2: The next morning, Ryan was able to harvest a very 362 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 2: nice six hundred pound cow moose redemption to some point. 363 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 2: Over the next several years, Ryan and Amanda, the girl 364 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 2: who killed the huge moose, kept in contact. It would 365 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 2: send each other their hunting successes, and I'm pretty sure 366 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 2: my son was still looking for redemption. He was fortunate 367 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 2: to connect with many nice bucks, but inevitably that young 368 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 2: lady Amanda would usually send them back similar trophies. I 369 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 2: look back on that hunting season with many, many fond memories, 370 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 2: meeting a great group of people and spending time in 371 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,160 Speaker 2: the north Woods, and watching my son harvest a deer 372 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 2: and a moose two days in a row. And most importantly, 373 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:43,880 Speaker 2: I had a glimpse into the man that my son 374 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: would be positive, determined and a never quit attitude. That 375 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,479 Speaker 2: season provided me with my second favorite hunt that I 376 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 2: ever had. That on, a second only to a hunt 377 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 2: I had in twenty twenty four, I was lucky enough 378 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 2: to be present on my seven year old grandson's first 379 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 2: deer hunt. Jackson harvested a nice white tail while I 380 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 2: sat behind him into blind my son sitting by his side, 381 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: and we were overlooking the food plot my son and 382 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 2: his wife had planted the first year they bought this 383 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:24,159 Speaker 2: one hundred acres of prime hunting land. I'm so thankful 384 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 2: Ryan's wife gave up her seat to me so I 385 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 2: could be there to see Jackson's first hunt. Now I'll 386 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: take this opportunity to publicly thank her for her thoughtfulness. 387 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: Amanda, Thank you that moose hunt from over a. 388 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 2: Decade and a half ago has provided so much more 389 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 2: than meat and fond memories, produced a marriage, two sons, 390 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 2: and Jackson and his little brother Kay, a happy existence 391 00:22:55,920 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 2: where hunting remains an important way of life. It is 392 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: for that sixty inch bullet now hangs in Ryan in 393 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 2: Amanda's living room in the house they built on that 394 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 2: one hundred acre hunting paradise, and according to Skip Bushy 395 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 2: of Buckfille, Maine, that's. 396 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: Just how that happened. 397 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 2: Well, Skip, why you didn't send this story in for 398 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 2: Valentine's Day is an absolute mystery to me, my friend, 399 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 2: A good night nurse, What a story. Ryan, Amanda may 400 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 2: have got the monster moved sixteen years ago. 401 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: But you've got the better end of this. 402 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 2: Steel pal Two families joined together, initially through the love 403 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 2: of the outdoors and finally through the love. 404 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: Of each other. 405 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 2: Good folks up there in Maine, girls are killing it 406 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 2: this week and everything. I appreciate you so much for listening, 407 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 2: especially the folks in the three sixty six Civil Engineer Squadron. 408 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 2: Explosive orders to supoke little unit out of Mountain Home 409 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 2: Air Force Base and Idaho and wherever they happen to 410 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 2: be deployed all over the globe until next week. This 411 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: is Brent Reeves signing off. 412 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: Y'all be careful