WEBVTT - Ep. 139: THIS COUNTRY LIFE - Kids and the Outdoors (Part 1)

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to this Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves.

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<v Speaker 1>From coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living.

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to stay a while as I share

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<v Speaker 1>my stories and the country skills that will help you

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<v Speaker 1>beat the system. This Country Life is proudly presented as

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<v Speaker 1>part of Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best

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<v Speaker 1>outdoor podcast the airways have to offer. All right, friends,

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<v Speaker 1>pull you up a chair or drop that tailgate. I

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<v Speaker 1>think I got a thing or two. The teacher, kids

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<v Speaker 1>and outdoors. Summer's coming to an end and just about

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<v Speaker 1>all the kids are back in school. I know it's

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<v Speaker 1>a relief for some, but with my eleven year old

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<v Speaker 1>Bailey back in the schoolhouse, I am fresh out of

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<v Speaker 1>folks to play with during the day. It got me

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<v Speaker 1>to thinking about all the stuff we've done over the summer,

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<v Speaker 1>and that brought memories of what I used to do

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<v Speaker 1>with my family. We're gonna be talking about the kids

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<v Speaker 1>in the outdoors, but first I'm gonna tell you a story.

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<v Speaker 1>My son Hunter was six years old and it was

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<v Speaker 1>gun deer season in Arkansas. We've been practicing his shooting

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<v Speaker 1>with a youth model single barrel two forty three and

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<v Speaker 1>He'd become very proficient and safe using the scope, holding

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<v Speaker 1>steady aim, thumb, cocking the hammer back, and keeping his

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<v Speaker 1>finger off the trigger until he was ready to shoot. Safety. Safety, safety.

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<v Speaker 1>It was our constant mantra, and he'd dry fired that

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<v Speaker 1>rifle one hundred times before he ever squeezed the trigger

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<v Speaker 1>on a live round with hearing protection in place. He

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<v Speaker 1>watched me shoot several rounds, and I'd explained to him

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<v Speaker 1>beforehand that it was going to be loud, and he

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<v Speaker 1>knew what to expect when it came his turn, and

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<v Speaker 1>he never missed a beat. I was confident in his

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<v Speaker 1>abilities out to about eighty yards, but we drawn the

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<v Speaker 1>line it somewhere around fifty, just to be on the

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<v Speaker 1>safe side. The night before the season opened, we'd all

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<v Speaker 1>gathered at the b and our deer camp for our

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<v Speaker 1>ritual supper. We had a fire going outside and everyone

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<v Speaker 1>gathered in a circle, laughing and talking and anticipating the

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<v Speaker 1>hunt that was kicking off in the morning. Big folks

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<v Speaker 1>and little folks alike, hunting season was here and we

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<v Speaker 1>were all excited, and none more so than the kids,

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<v Speaker 1>and Hunter was one of them. It was his first

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<v Speaker 1>time staying at the camp, and it was his first

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<v Speaker 1>time being a trigger man, and he couldn't wait or

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<v Speaker 1>stop talking about it or anything else. That boy has

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<v Speaker 1>never been shy about talking. He loved to talk, and

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<v Speaker 1>I've said it a hundred times. When he was little

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<v Speaker 1>and couldn't think of anything to say, he'd just pick

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<v Speaker 1>up a stick and whooping on something and hollered to

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<v Speaker 1>make some racket. We liked to have never got him

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<v Speaker 1>to be quiet when it came bedtime. But he wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>the only one talking when we cut the lanterns out.

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<v Speaker 1>My brother Tim, his brother in law Joe, who we

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<v Speaker 1>all counted as a bonus brother. Tim's boys Matthew and Will,

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<v Speaker 1>and Joe's son Daniel were all making their share of racket.

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<v Speaker 1>When it seemed like we'd never get to sleep, Joe's

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<v Speaker 1>alarm clock was going off and waking us all up.

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<v Speaker 1>Opening day, somebody stoked that fire is freezing in here.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you all about the deer camp we built

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<v Speaker 1>out of rough olk lumber, a hammer, a square, and

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<v Speaker 1>a chainsaw, but that's a story for another day. There

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<v Speaker 1>was no electricity and we heated it with a barrel

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<v Speaker 1>stove and cooked on an old gas stove. Joe had

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of lanterns going, and he was making breakfast,

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<v Speaker 1>and Tim was putting wood on the fire while the

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<v Speaker 1>rest of us got ready. Hunter couldn't get rest fast enough.

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<v Speaker 1>He was excited and talking up a storm already. I

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<v Speaker 1>did not see a change in that coming anytime soon.

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<v Speaker 1>I had already figured that we were more or less

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<v Speaker 1>going deer looking instead of deer hunting, and that was

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<v Speaker 1>okay with me. However long he wanted to be there

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<v Speaker 1>was how long we were going to stay. And I

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<v Speaker 1>might coax him into staying a little past the golden

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<v Speaker 1>hour of the morning if he wanted to leave early.

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<v Speaker 1>But I decided that I wasn't gonna make him stay

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<v Speaker 1>any longer. That was fun for him, after all. When

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<v Speaker 1>it stopped being fun for him, it wasn't gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>fun for me neither. We parked my truck at Tim's

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<v Speaker 1>house and walked by flashlight in not silence to the

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<v Speaker 1>window maker, a big plywood box stand that sat on

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<v Speaker 1>four cross ties overlooking an old patch that we planted

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<v Speaker 1>for deer. About three quarters of an acre in size.

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<v Speaker 1>The stand had a short tin roof and cam o'

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<v Speaker 1>neett and draped over the open airs above the four

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<v Speaker 1>foot wall. Joe or ten one had put an old

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<v Speaker 1>easy chair in there that was perfect for sitting and

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<v Speaker 1>resting your rifle on top of that wall, unless you

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<v Speaker 1>were about the height a hundred at age six, His

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<v Speaker 1>legs barely reached from his butt to the ground, so

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<v Speaker 1>he was sitting in my lap, talking up a storm

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<v Speaker 1>and waiting on daylight, which wasn't that far away. It

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<v Speaker 1>was cold, but I had Hunter bundled up and looking

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<v Speaker 1>like the Michelin man. His rifle was broke open and

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<v Speaker 1>propped up in the corner. I had the shells in

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<v Speaker 1>my pocket, and my job was to help him look

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<v Speaker 1>for deer, loading, handing the rifle when it came time.

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<v Speaker 1>If it came time, I remember the sun coming up

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<v Speaker 1>in a decent frost on the ground, and the camel

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<v Speaker 1>curtains that hung over the windows. We talked about how

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<v Speaker 1>you could see our breath when we talked, and we

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<v Speaker 1>smoked imaginary cigars, taking puffs from limbs. I broke off

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<v Speaker 1>the tree behind us and blowing imaginary smoking the air

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<v Speaker 1>like a freight train. Time had passed quickly and we

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<v Speaker 1>were laughing, giggling and talking and making more racket than

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<v Speaker 1>the chicken house. When Hunter whispered, Daddy, there's a spike, well,

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<v Speaker 1>i'll be a dang Sure was, and he was standing

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<v Speaker 1>broadside right in front of the stand, closer than we'd practiced.

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<v Speaker 1>How that joker got there without me knowing, or more importantly,

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<v Speaker 1>without us scaring him off, It's still a mystery to me.

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<v Speaker 1>But there he stood, and Hunter had gone from bumping

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<v Speaker 1>his gums to a laser focus watching that dear. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not sure he ever blinked. I used forward and grabbed

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<v Speaker 1>his rifle, loaded it, placed it on top of the wall.

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<v Speaker 1>The barrel was poking out far enough that it wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>be loud in the stand, but I had his ear

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<v Speaker 1>muffs on his head anyway, just like we'd practiced. He

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<v Speaker 1>had a tough time finding him in the scope at first,

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<v Speaker 1>due to his excitement and because he was so close.

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<v Speaker 1>Finally he said, I see I told him whenever he

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<v Speaker 1>felt comfortable, cocked the hammer, wait for his crosshairs to

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<v Speaker 1>settle like we'd practiced, then put his finger on the trigger,

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<v Speaker 1>remembered to breathe and give it a squeeze. It was

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<v Speaker 1>like waiting on water to boil. That spike was slowly

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<v Speaker 1>feeding along the middle of the food plotting, and he

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere, and Hunter wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>in a hurry to pull the trigger. It was a

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<v Speaker 1>beautiful morning. It was cold, crisp, zero wind, the birds

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<v Speaker 1>were singing, and that deer was so close. I could

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<v Speaker 1>hear him biting off the green oats he was bunching on.

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<v Speaker 1>I could also feel Hunter's heart beating in his chest

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<v Speaker 1>with the rhythm of a singer sewing machine. And when

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<v Speaker 1>I thought I was going to pass out with anticipation, bam,

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<v Speaker 1>he pulled the trigger. That deer dropped in his tracks

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<v Speaker 1>and never flinched. All the hugging and high five and started,

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<v Speaker 1>and we got our plunder together and more or less

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<v Speaker 1>bailed out of that widow maker to go look at

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<v Speaker 1>his deer. He'd practiced and practiced, he'd learned everything he

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<v Speaker 1>could about safe, proper shot placement, and then demonstrated it

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<v Speaker 1>when it came time to do so. I was proud

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<v Speaker 1>of him, and he was proud too. We looked at

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<v Speaker 1>that deer and we said a little prayer of thanks.

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<v Speaker 1>That was something that we'd started that day and continue now.

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<v Speaker 1>It was the end of an incredible morning of first

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<v Speaker 1>or so we thought. We walked back to TAM's house

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<v Speaker 1>and got his fore wheel and went and got the deer.

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<v Speaker 1>He grabbed a leg and helped me as much as

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<v Speaker 1>a six year old boy can load his prize on

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<v Speaker 1>the rack. We got back to TAM's house. He was

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<v Speaker 1>waiting for us, and so was my dad. Tim heard

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter shoot and had come off the stand to see

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<v Speaker 1>what he did. My Dad wasn't nothing. He was just

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<v Speaker 1>there waiting on everybody to come out of the woods

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<v Speaker 1>to see what they got, especially the kids. Tim went

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<v Speaker 1>back in the house and brought out his video camera,

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<v Speaker 1>and if he hadn't, I'm not sure I could even

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<v Speaker 1>tell the rest of this story. But Tim starts recording

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<v Speaker 1>and Hunter starts telling the story, beginning pretty much from

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<v Speaker 1>the dawn of time and leading up to where we

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<v Speaker 1>all found ourselves. At that moment, Tim, me and Dad

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<v Speaker 1>standing shoulder to shoulder, watching and listening to the longest

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<v Speaker 1>story that has ever been told on camera. It was

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<v Speaker 1>like the script reading for the Ten Commandments. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a lot to get through. At one point, during Hunter's

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<v Speaker 1>defense of his doctoral presentation, I heard my brother say,

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<v Speaker 1>come on, man, like that gun. Breakfast is getting cold.

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<v Speaker 1>And then my dad said, look at that deer. Hunter

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<v Speaker 1>looked over at the one he was standing beside, but

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<v Speaker 1>we were looking at a yearling door that was behind Hunter,

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<v Speaker 1>bounding about sixty yards away at the edge of Tim's yard,

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<v Speaker 1>next to the woods. Tim raised the camera and followed

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<v Speaker 1>that day as she made a big loop around the

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<v Speaker 1>yard and circled back toward the house and where we

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<v Speaker 1>were standing, and then turned and headed right toward us.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody moved, nobody said a word. There was three feet

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<v Speaker 1>between where we stood looking at Hunter and where he

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<v Speaker 1>stood beside the four wheeler with his dead deer facing us.

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<v Speaker 1>That dough split the difference between us and jumped higher

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<v Speaker 1>than Hunter stood, kicked like a bucking horse, hit the ground,

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<v Speaker 1>and loped back into the woods. From whence it came.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody but a Hunter said a word when it happened.

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<v Speaker 1>But you can hear him on the tape, as that

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<v Speaker 1>deer was in midair say WHOA about as nonchalant as

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<v Speaker 1>I just did. It was absolutely hilarious. One of the

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<v Speaker 1>most outrageous things I've ever witnessed, and I've seen some

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<v Speaker 1>crazy stuff. I have no explanation for it, but it

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<v Speaker 1>remains a special memory, nonetheless, one I shared with my

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<v Speaker 1>late father, my brother, and my son, all because we

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<v Speaker 1>were outdoors, and that's just how that happened. Kids and outdoors.

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<v Speaker 1>Kids and outdoors is like biscuits and gravy. It's hard

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<v Speaker 1>for me to think about one without thinking about the other.

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<v Speaker 1>And growing up, if you had time to hang around

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<v Speaker 1>the house, somebody, namely my mama, would find something for

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<v Speaker 1>me to do that wasn't nearly as fun or treacherous

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<v Speaker 1>as the things I could come up with on my own.

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<v Speaker 1>So when the opportunity arose, either by finishing my chores

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<v Speaker 1>or climbing out the window, I was gone. Deuces. I'll

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<v Speaker 1>see all as supper time and deal with whatever fate

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<v Speaker 1>awaits me then. But right now I got to go. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Where I was escaping to wasn't town, or most times

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<v Speaker 1>not even to any of my friends. I didn't have

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<v Speaker 1>any that lived very close. Besides, I had a dog,

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<v Speaker 1>a horse, a bicycle, a hairshoes that are wore sometimes,

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<v Speaker 1>and my playground was only limited by how far I

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<v Speaker 1>felt like walking or riding that day. But times have changed,

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<v Speaker 1>and a childhood like mine, for the most part, has

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<v Speaker 1>faded away. I couldn't imagine not knowing where my kids

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<v Speaker 1>or grandkids were. Like when I was a kid, my

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<v Speaker 1>parents weren't neglecting me. They knew I was safe wherever

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<v Speaker 1>I was. The times they were just simply different then.

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<v Speaker 1>So guess why it's up to us to get those

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<v Speaker 1>little tax deductions of hours off the couch, out from

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<v Speaker 1>in front of whatever hypnotizing screen that they're staring at,

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<v Speaker 1>and into nature. All these grown ups that fight against

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<v Speaker 1>everything we all hold so deer were once impressionable children.

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<v Speaker 1>And I wonder if those folks had grown up like

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<v Speaker 1>I had, and like those I grew up with, But

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<v Speaker 1>they still have the same thoughts and ideas. Now, let

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<v Speaker 1>me say this, I'm a steadfast beloe and choosing your

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<v Speaker 1>own path and doing what trips your trigger. But it's

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<v Speaker 1>hard for me to understand the way some folks think

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<v Speaker 1>about how we should interact with nature. My wife, alexis

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<v Speaker 1>the quintessential city girl who before we'd met, had no

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<v Speaker 1>preconceived ideas or beliefs about hunting and fishing. She didn't

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<v Speaker 1>grow up around it and had no exposure. It's a

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<v Speaker 1>testament to her parents, my mother and father in law

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<v Speaker 1>both of whom I love is my own, each had

0:13:30.000 --> 0:13:33.120
<v Speaker 1>minimal exposure to those pastimes in their lives as well,

0:13:33.160 --> 0:13:37.559
<v Speaker 1>but through common sense, they know that we are stewards

0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:40.640
<v Speaker 1>of nature, and while they each choose to abstain from

0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:44.439
<v Speaker 1>participating in the legal taking of any type of game,

0:13:44.960 --> 0:13:48.960
<v Speaker 1>they understand that it's necessary for the overall good of

0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:53.360
<v Speaker 1>the nature and fully support my efforts. Alexis is the

0:13:53.400 --> 0:13:57.199
<v Speaker 1>same way. She doesn't care one thing about doing it,

0:13:57.440 --> 0:13:59.720
<v Speaker 1>but loves to see the joy I get from it,

0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:04.680
<v Speaker 1>and fully supports our daughter's participation because Bailey she likes

0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:08.200
<v Speaker 1>it too. That's fine with me and Bailey. That's three

0:14:08.320 --> 0:14:10.800
<v Speaker 1>less folks we have to beat to our favorite hunting spots.

0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:14.240
<v Speaker 1>The first thing you need to remember when taking the

0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:16.960
<v Speaker 1>little folks is to try and see what they're seeing

0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:21.600
<v Speaker 1>and how they see it. Darkness is especially concerning to

0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:25.120
<v Speaker 1>most kids and a few adults I know, but reassuring

0:14:25.160 --> 0:14:28.480
<v Speaker 1>them if your activities occur at night is a big plus.

0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.080
<v Speaker 1>I remember Kyou hunting with my dad, and we weren't

0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:34.120
<v Speaker 1>hunting them to shoot as much as we were letting

0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:37.000
<v Speaker 1>the dogs run them. And if you're unfamiliar with this practice,

0:14:37.400 --> 0:14:40.560
<v Speaker 1>allow me to give you a brief description. My dad

0:14:40.600 --> 0:14:43.160
<v Speaker 1>had a pack of running walker foxhounds. They look just

0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.800
<v Speaker 1>like their cousins, the tree and walker, which is what

0:14:45.880 --> 0:14:49.920
<v Speaker 1>my dog wailing is. Anyway, They usually have a leaner

0:14:49.960 --> 0:14:53.440
<v Speaker 1>bill because speed is their game, and they don't have

0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.800
<v Speaker 1>the tree and instinct, which is to bark along while

0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:59.760
<v Speaker 1>trailing the scent of a coon, unto the hound finds

0:14:59.760 --> 0:15:02.640
<v Speaker 1>which trees climbed and sets into tree in and it's

0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:05.920
<v Speaker 1>usually a totally different kind of barking. We'll get to

0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:08.400
<v Speaker 1>that in the future when the weather cools off and

0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:11.840
<v Speaker 1>we start talking about tree and walkers. But running walkers

0:15:12.360 --> 0:15:15.360
<v Speaker 1>would rather run the sin of a game, trailing it

0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:19.120
<v Speaker 1>over the countryside or through the woods, barking as they went,

0:15:19.240 --> 0:15:21.920
<v Speaker 1>which sounds exactly like a bunch of dogs barking to

0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:24.960
<v Speaker 1>folks that don't get the allure, but to those that do,

0:15:25.680 --> 0:15:29.000
<v Speaker 1>it's a literal symphony of sound, and my dad was

0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:33.480
<v Speaker 1>considered a maestro of the sport. Kylets are most active

0:15:33.480 --> 0:15:36.200
<v Speaker 1>at night, so when the weather allowed, we'd be down

0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:39.680
<v Speaker 1>on the potlatch timber company roads looking for sign where

0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:43.000
<v Speaker 1>they'd either crossed or left their calling cart in the

0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:44.960
<v Speaker 1>middle of the road in the form of a well

0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:49.960
<v Speaker 1>digested sample from last night's supper with fresh sign we'd

0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:52.200
<v Speaker 1>cut the dogs loose and the race would be on.

0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:55.280
<v Speaker 1>Then it could go on for a few hours, and

0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:58.480
<v Speaker 1>my dad would name each hound as it barked and

0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.760
<v Speaker 1>his position in the race while we sat or laid

0:16:01.800 --> 0:16:04.920
<v Speaker 1>down on top of the dog box. Sometimes it was

0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:08.400
<v Speaker 1>cold and we'd build a fire. Sometimes other folks would

0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.480
<v Speaker 1>hunt with us and bring their dogs, and that was it.

0:16:12.360 --> 0:16:15.840
<v Speaker 1>That is cold hunting. Now. What filled the gaps when

0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:17.960
<v Speaker 1>the dogs went out of here and or they lost

0:16:17.960 --> 0:16:21.520
<v Speaker 1>the trail of the colt was conversations about everything in

0:16:21.560 --> 0:16:24.920
<v Speaker 1>the world. He'd let me have a flashlight to keep

0:16:24.960 --> 0:16:27.560
<v Speaker 1>the buggers away, and we'd lay back and look at

0:16:27.560 --> 0:16:31.840
<v Speaker 1>the stars. We'd walk up and down the gravel road

0:16:31.880 --> 0:16:35.040
<v Speaker 1>with me running the light and looking at tracks and bugs,

0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:36.840
<v Speaker 1>and he'd hand me a rock and bet I couldn't

0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:40.800
<v Speaker 1>chunk and hit something. What he was doing was keeping

0:16:40.800 --> 0:16:43.840
<v Speaker 1>me entertained and allowing me to participate in a fun

0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:46.960
<v Speaker 1>way while spending time with him and doing something that

0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:51.240
<v Speaker 1>he liked to do too. Those times are burned into

0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:55.760
<v Speaker 1>my memory, and not just hunting fishing memories, cutting firewood,

0:16:56.440 --> 0:16:59.280
<v Speaker 1>having the horse shod, and taking me to work and

0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:02.080
<v Speaker 1>letting me help him. It was all about the time

0:17:02.120 --> 0:17:05.760
<v Speaker 1>spent together and not the activity. I can say with

0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:10.320
<v Speaker 1>one hundred percent certainty that my endearment towards showing youngins

0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:14.080
<v Speaker 1>how much fun can be had without electricity just by

0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:17.280
<v Speaker 1>looking at the natural stuff around him is because he

0:17:17.480 --> 0:17:20.199
<v Speaker 1>took the time to show me, and so did my

0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:25.560
<v Speaker 1>brother Tim. A lot of hunting requires stealth and quiet,

0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:29.800
<v Speaker 1>two things most kids ain't real good at, So when

0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:32.679
<v Speaker 1>we include them, we need to think about an activity

0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:36.199
<v Speaker 1>that they can do well. Sometimes they're just like that

0:17:36.280 --> 0:17:39.080
<v Speaker 1>old coon down pup your training. You need to find

0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:41.639
<v Speaker 1>them an easy coon to tree. So you stack the

0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:44.240
<v Speaker 1>deck in your pup's favor and catch a coon in

0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:46.520
<v Speaker 1>a live trap and release it for him to see,

0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:48.800
<v Speaker 1>and then put him on the scent and watch him

0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:53.000
<v Speaker 1>do his thing. Gives him confidence and with praise, he'll

0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:57.000
<v Speaker 1>want to do it again. Same way with kids, picking

0:17:57.080 --> 0:18:02.120
<v Speaker 1>activity they can win at, digging for fishing, bait, how

0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:04.840
<v Speaker 1>to build a fire and cook a hot dog, and

0:18:04.920 --> 0:18:08.920
<v Speaker 1>if they're responsible enough, how to care for and sharpen

0:18:09.000 --> 0:18:12.560
<v Speaker 1>a good pocket knife. Now you know what kind. But

0:18:12.800 --> 0:18:17.119
<v Speaker 1>in case you don't remember, you should go back to

0:18:17.240 --> 0:18:21.800
<v Speaker 1>episode one and review. I figure, if you're still listening,

0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:23.320
<v Speaker 1>you might as well give them a good knife to

0:18:23.320 --> 0:18:27.119
<v Speaker 1>start with. Now, squirrel hunting with dogs was what I

0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:30.520
<v Speaker 1>cut my teeth on, and that was an activity numero

0:18:30.840 --> 0:18:34.119
<v Speaker 1>uno at Casa Day reeves well, Brenn, I ain't got

0:18:34.160 --> 0:18:38.000
<v Speaker 1>a dog. I ain't got a dog. Ain't no problem.

0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:41.040
<v Speaker 1>Take them with you on a sight seeing journey looking

0:18:41.080 --> 0:18:43.919
<v Speaker 1>for squirrels. You don't even need a gun for that.

0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:47.159
<v Speaker 1>Make a list of birds to go look for, and

0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:49.240
<v Speaker 1>then check them off the list as you walk around

0:18:49.280 --> 0:18:52.199
<v Speaker 1>your neighborhood looking or just sitting in the backyard or

0:18:52.240 --> 0:18:56.600
<v Speaker 1>just looking out the window. The information available to us

0:18:56.640 --> 0:19:00.600
<v Speaker 1>to the creatures that inhabit where we live, regardless of

0:19:00.600 --> 0:19:04.440
<v Speaker 1>where we live, it's tremendous, and there is no excuse

0:19:04.560 --> 0:19:08.280
<v Speaker 1>for saying you don't know. I don't know about other states,

0:19:08.720 --> 0:19:11.720
<v Speaker 1>but I would assume they have similar programs like our

0:19:11.840 --> 0:19:16.560
<v Speaker 1>Arkansas Game and Fish Commission does. We have free admission

0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:20.640
<v Speaker 1>to nature centers located all over the state with programs

0:19:20.680 --> 0:19:25.320
<v Speaker 1>and staff, with employees whose job is to educate folks

0:19:25.320 --> 0:19:30.840
<v Speaker 1>of all ages. The displays and activities they host are outstanding,

0:19:30.840 --> 0:19:33.119
<v Speaker 1>and if your state doesn't have them, I'm inviting you

0:19:33.160 --> 0:19:41.880
<v Speaker 1>to ours. We'll be glad to have you. I've got

0:19:41.920 --> 0:19:43.879
<v Speaker 1>a lot more to talk about on this kids and

0:19:43.960 --> 0:19:48.240
<v Speaker 1>outdoor subject, so let's make this part one. In part two,

0:19:48.600 --> 0:19:51.119
<v Speaker 1>I'm going to share some more stories, but I'm also

0:19:51.240 --> 0:19:53.720
<v Speaker 1>going to give you some information that you can share

0:19:53.800 --> 0:19:57.159
<v Speaker 1>with your schools that have a host of great programs

0:19:57.160 --> 0:19:59.480
<v Speaker 1>to get the kids out of the house and into

0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.240
<v Speaker 1>the outdoors. There's facts and figures in there that are

0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.080
<v Speaker 1>eye opening, at least they were for me. You ain't

0:20:06.119 --> 0:20:08.800
<v Speaker 1>gonna want to miss it. And until next week, I'm

0:20:08.800 --> 0:20:12.159
<v Speaker 1>gonna leave you with this. I was taking the Bailey

0:20:12.160 --> 0:20:14.679
<v Speaker 1>at to school this morning and I asked her about

0:20:14.680 --> 0:20:16.760
<v Speaker 1>why she liked to go out in the woods with me,

0:20:17.320 --> 0:20:20.840
<v Speaker 1>whether we were hunting, fishing, or just knocking around just

0:20:20.840 --> 0:20:24.760
<v Speaker 1>getting some info for this podcast. She said, I like

0:20:24.800 --> 0:20:26.719
<v Speaker 1>it when we get a deer and we skin it

0:20:27.320 --> 0:20:29.760
<v Speaker 1>and cut the meat up to eat. I like to

0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:33.000
<v Speaker 1>help with that. I like when we go coon hunting

0:20:33.040 --> 0:20:36.080
<v Speaker 1>with Whaling and I get to drive the side by

0:20:36.119 --> 0:20:39.000
<v Speaker 1>side and look for the coon that Whaling's barking at.

0:20:40.119 --> 0:20:41.840
<v Speaker 1>I like it when we fish. I like to help

0:20:41.880 --> 0:20:45.760
<v Speaker 1>you cook them and then we get to eat them. Well,

0:20:45.800 --> 0:20:47.520
<v Speaker 1>I asked her about the times that we were just

0:20:47.600 --> 0:20:50.040
<v Speaker 1>messing around the woods what she liked about that, and

0:20:50.080 --> 0:20:52.720
<v Speaker 1>she said, I just like being with you, Daddy and

0:20:52.800 --> 0:20:57.320
<v Speaker 1>learning stuff. So then I asked her one last question

0:20:57.440 --> 0:20:59.560
<v Speaker 1>before she hopped out of the truck, and that big

0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:03.440
<v Speaker 1>old sc swallowed my baby like a grape. I said,

0:21:03.480 --> 0:21:06.400
<v Speaker 1>have you got any advice for grown ups or kids

0:21:07.040 --> 0:21:09.680
<v Speaker 1>that might like to start trying to do the things

0:21:09.720 --> 0:21:12.520
<v Speaker 1>that we do all the time? And she put some

0:21:12.600 --> 0:21:14.440
<v Speaker 1>thought into it, and she looked at me and said,

0:21:15.760 --> 0:21:19.280
<v Speaker 1>it doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to

0:21:19.320 --> 0:21:23.840
<v Speaker 1>get a deer or catch a fish. Just make memories.

0:21:24.960 --> 0:21:27.080
<v Speaker 1>And with that she gave me some sugar and hopped

0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:42.720
<v Speaker 1>out the door. That's pretty good. Thank y'all so much

0:21:42.760 --> 0:21:46.760
<v Speaker 1>for listening. I sincerely appreciate all the wonderful feedback we've

0:21:46.760 --> 0:21:50.040
<v Speaker 1>been receiving and hope you folks will continue to review

0:21:50.080 --> 0:21:52.960
<v Speaker 1>and share this country life with others you think might

0:21:53.080 --> 0:21:57.399
<v Speaker 1>enjoy it. This is Brent Reeves, sign it off, y'all,

0:21:57.440 --> 0:22:08.120
<v Speaker 1>be careful the tru