1 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: my experiences and life lessons. This country Life is presented 5 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: by Case Knives on Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you 6 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: the best outdoor podcast the airwaves have to offer. All right, friends, 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: grab a chair or drop that tailgate. I've got some 8 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: stories to share. Bucks Mama and Brent's Bucks. Dear. Season 9 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: is upon us, and I can't wait for the mosquitoes 10 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: to thin out a bit so I can climb a 11 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: tree down in the river bottoms. Unlike hunting with dogs, 12 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: which was passed down to me from my dad and 13 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: my brothers and I were on our own when it 14 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: came to deer, I'm going to tell you why, along 15 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: with some other stuff. But first I'm going to tell 16 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: you a story. The story this week is a listener 17 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: story from a family that lived twenty two minutes for 18 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: where my wife Alexis grew up in the big city 19 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: of Tyler. Lyndale, Texas is a small town well just 20 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 1: over six thousand people according to the twenty twenty census, 21 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: and if you look it up on the Internet. You'll 22 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: see a list of quote unquote notable people from Lyndale, 23 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: pro athletes, successful singers, composer, even the director for the 24 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. But a name you won't see on 25 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: that list is Julie Thompson, a lady whose career for 26 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: the last thirty years has been in education. She's the 27 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: wife of Dee Wayne and mother to a son named Buck. 28 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: And it's Bucks story that I'm sharing with you today. 29 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: So when Buck Thompson's words and my voice, here we go. 30 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 1: My name is Buck Thompson. I live in northeast Texas 31 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: in the small but growing town of Lyndale. I grew 32 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: up deer hunting and fishing, and my mom was always 33 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: a big part of that. Now I don't remember a 34 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: time when she was Most of the time she killed 35 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: bigger and more dear than all the guys on the lease. 36 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: I didn't grow up in a culture of men only camps. 37 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: My mom was always there, a part and accepted into 38 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: the man dominated world. Some of my greatest memories are 39 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 1: hunting with my mama. She really taught me how to hunt, 40 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: and when I would go hunt with Daddy, we always 41 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: had a good time. There was always going to be 42 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: plenty of snacks and some sort of adventure. But my Mama, 43 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: she took it seriously. Bringing home the meat was the 44 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: name of the game. It was nothing for her to 45 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: sit all day with a scope Marlin thirty thirty waiting 46 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: for a deer to cross a small, narrow shooting lane 47 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: where she hunted. Now once she sat motionless for hours 48 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: waiting for the opportunity, and right a dark deer started 49 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: crossing the lane, one after the other. She timed them 50 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: crossing perfectly, and when the next shadows started across boom 51 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: that Marlon notched another white tail and it was a buck. 52 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: But the most special thing Mama did was take me hunting. 53 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: My dad had to work one weekend and we loaded 54 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: up and headed to Marion County, Texas for my first deer. 55 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: The year was nineteen ninety nine and I was nine 56 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: years old. I was in love with hunting. I remember 57 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: staring at the kitchen window waiting for the mailman to 58 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: deliver the newest deer hunting VHS tapes, and I washed 59 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,839 Speaker 1: them until they were broke. I had it all figured out, 60 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: at least I thought I did. I had a few 61 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: opportunities to kill my first dear, but none ever panned out, 62 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: and I was getting antsy and have my picture taken 63 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: with that old gray ghost of the East Texas woods. Finally, 64 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 1: Mama and I got to the lease and we were hunting. 65 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: We sat in my favorite hunting place we called the 66 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: Hickory nut Stand. It was a homemade tripod stand with 67 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: camo hanging from the shooting rail and built for two hunters. 68 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: It only stood about eight feet off the ground because 69 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: the pines that were surrounding it were only about eight 70 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: or ten years old, and deer would literally walk right 71 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: by you and never know you were there. Now, we 72 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: got there before daylight, and this don grew in. Today, 73 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: the deer movement was zero, and I got frustrated, impatient. 74 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 1: I dreamed all summer about getting my first deer and 75 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: was certain I should have already filled my tag and 76 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: be telling tales of the hunt around the campfire. But 77 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: there we sat, me and my mom for what seemed 78 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: like years, until she finally gave in to my complaints 79 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: and we left to go get something to eat. After lunch. 80 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: I was ready to go home, convinced there were no 81 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: dear for me that day, but my mama was confident 82 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: we'd have better luck that evening. Another member, mister Dennis, 83 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: he showed up to hunt that afternoon and decided he'd 84 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: hunt with any earshot of us should we have any luck. 85 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 1: And not long after Mama and I were back in 86 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: the hickory nuts. Stand. Now, you remember how intense I 87 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: told you my mom hunts well when you sat with her, 88 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: That's how you're expected to hunt too. An hour, an 89 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: agonizing hour of motionless staring into the woods was about 90 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: all I was good for. And after an afternoon of 91 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: sight eye looks and threats, she said, look, we've only 92 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: got twenty more minutes set still. One will come out 93 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: right at dark. My eyes rolled and a quiet sigh 94 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: left my lips as I lowered my chin back on 95 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 1: the woodstock of that single shot rifle that was secured 96 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: on the shooting wreck. Light was leaving the pines, and 97 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: shadows moved across the gray landscape, and just at the 98 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: last bit of light, the image of a dope emerged 99 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 1: from the pines, coming from right to left. Mama's hand 100 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: patted my leg and whispered, there she is when you 101 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: get it on your shoulder, squeezed the boom. Because of 102 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: my mother's teaching, I already had my gun ready, and 103 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 1: because of her lectures on shot placement, I knew where 104 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: to settle the cross hair. The image of that that 105 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,919 Speaker 1: dough mule kicking straight up and down steals ingrained in 106 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: my memory, and she tore off and made a big 107 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,919 Speaker 1: loop in the short pines. We found her with the 108 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: help of mister Dennis, and me and my dad have 109 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: had a lot of great memories in the woods, and 110 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: I've hunted mule, deer and elk in the rocky mountains, 111 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: experienced thousands of ducks. In migration, I ran up and 112 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: down the river running through lines for big flathead catfish. 113 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: But until my own children and I get to experience 114 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: what me and my mama did that in November morning, 115 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: it will forever be my favorite hunting memory. Don't ever 116 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: take for granted the love of your mama, what she's 117 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: willing to do to help you make your dreams come true, 118 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: even if it's taking her only son by herself hunting 119 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: all day, not expecting to have any help. But because 120 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: she knew how much he loved to hunt and how 121 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 1: bad he wanted to go get his first deer taking 122 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: my wife and getting her into hunting as well as 123 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: my little girl has been one of the most rewarding 124 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: things I've done. I believe a lot of us out 125 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: there and out on amazing opportunities, either because of a 126 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: male only stigmatism or we are too wrapped up in 127 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: our own wants and wishes. We missed the forest for 128 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: the trees. How much joy we would have sharing our 129 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: love of the outdoors with those who may never consider 130 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: themselves an outdoorsman or an outdoors woman. Thank you, mama 131 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: so much for loving the outdoors and not giving up 132 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: on your desire to hunt and fish just because you 133 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: weren't always invited because you're a girl. And thanks to 134 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: my great great uncle George for taking my mama squirrel 135 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: hunting when it wasn't the cool thing for a little 136 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: blond headed tag along to be following you through the woods. 137 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: One person's decision can shape a whole generation's outcome, and 138 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: according to Buck Thompson of Lynndale, Texas, that's just how 139 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: that happened. Thanks for sharing that, Buck, It's a wonderful sentiment, 140 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: a wonderful tribute to you, mama. The love of a 141 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: good mama just can't be big. Deer hunting is a 142 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: big tradition in my family. Any and all game that 143 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: was available was on the menu and supplemented the family 144 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: on both sides of my lineage. My maternal grandfather, find 145 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: a sly who grew up during the Great Depression, told 146 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: me about catching possums and keeping them in a cage 147 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: and feeding them out for weeks at a time with 148 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: table scraps to clean out their systems before they knocked 149 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: them in the head, cleaned them and ate them, and 150 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: then sold the hides. Of course, but that side of 151 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: my family was comprised mostly of subsistence farmers and saw 152 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: mill workers who didn't have the time or the desire 153 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: to hunt. My paternal side was a polar officer. If 154 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: it crawled, walked, flew, climbed, or swam in the outdoors, 155 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: it was fair game. In stark contrast to the other 156 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: side of my family, there were no possum eating stories 157 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: from the Depression era. Now I ain't saying they didn't 158 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: eat them, but if they did, they didn't tell nobody 159 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: about it, and I assume they didn't have to because 160 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: of all the wild game that supplemented the livestock that 161 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: was consumed. You know, squirrels, rabbits, and deer, just to 162 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: name a few. I have a picture of my great 163 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 1: grandfather love it reeves and a buck deer he killed 164 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: in the nineteen fifties. There weren't a lot of deer 165 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: back then in Arkansas, not in our party anyway, And 166 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: if I was a betting man, I'd guess that buck 167 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: was probably in the wrong place at the right time, 168 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: and cross passed with my grandpa on a squirrel hunting'd 169 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: be pretty easy to hit the magazine, cut off on 170 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: his brown in a five, and slide the boat back 171 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: and exchange it squirrel oed for some buckshot. If the 172 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: opportunity arose, who knows, he could have been a stander 173 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: on a deer drive and smashed that rascal in the 174 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: hounds pushed him by his location. What was for sure 175 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: was he was a hunter, and a good one. But 176 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 1: the deer hunting jeans skipped the generation with my dad. 177 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: He hated deer with a passion and coined the phrase 178 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,959 Speaker 1: that I and others still use, interjecting our own nouns 179 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: into the statement when talking about fire ants, farrel, hogs 180 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: or red walks. Now here's the quote from my dad 181 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: about the white tailed deer here in the natural state. 182 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: If I could mash a button and kill every deer 183 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: in Arkansas, I'd mash it twice to make sure I 184 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: got them off. Now, my father's deep seated hatred for 185 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: deer came from two places. Number one, they ate his garden, 186 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,839 Speaker 1: and number two, his old cold dogs would, on occasion 187 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: chase them instead of CODI is a trade very unbecoming 188 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: of a hound that was supposed to be broke from 189 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: chasing deer and on to chasing codes only. My dad 190 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: killed a lot of deer, but he ate only a 191 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: few himself. They were giving away the folks that needed meat, 192 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: or my brother and I would split them. Wasting them 193 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: wasn't an option. But he cared nothing about antlers. He'd 194 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 1: be proud of us if we killed a buck, but 195 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: as far as horns go, he cared nothing about it. 196 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: And in my office it's a set of deer antlers 197 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: from a buck that my father killed a friend and 198 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: a coworker. My dad saw the antlers laying in the 199 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: back of his truck, having been freshly harvested and removed 200 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: from the deer. He said, buddy, where'd you get that 201 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: rack of horns. But Dad said, I killed him over 202 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: in front of the house. I gave the meat away 203 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: and told the man that I gave it to. I 204 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: wanted the horns back. I'm gonna give it to one 205 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: of the boys if they wanted. He said, well, let 206 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: me mount it on a plank for you to give him. 207 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: And with that our friend of forty years, Jackie Beathay, 208 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: coworker of my dad, mounted the antlers and gave it 209 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,439 Speaker 1: back to him. A few weeks later, he's like, here's 210 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: your horns, buddy, say you never told me how that 211 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: that hunt went, he said. Dad looked at him and said, well, 212 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: it's probably one of the best shots I ever made. 213 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: I didn't really have time to react, and I got 214 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: him just before he got out of sight. Jackie's a 215 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: deer hunting has always been one, and he was intrigued 216 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: by the story, and he said, well, was he about 217 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: to run in the woods on you? Dad said, no, 218 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: he's about to jump out of the headlights. He had 219 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: a mouthful of my peas when I shot him about midnight. 220 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: Now that was about That was about the extent of 221 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: my dad's deer hunting. Everything on the outside of the 222 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: hot wire around his pea patch was free, but everything 223 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: on the inside deer had to pay for. There's one 224 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: more incident that I can tell you about my dad 225 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: and deer. My brother Tim and I were talking about 226 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: the other day. He reminded me where we got the 227 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: inspiration to rope the deer that I talked about back 228 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: on episode two thirty one of This Country Life. My 229 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: dad had been out running his hounds one night and 230 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 1: on the way back home he rounded a ninety degree 231 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: curve on a gravel timber company road, and standing in 232 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: the middle of the road staring at the headlights was 233 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: a huge buck deer. Now, the deer just stood there 234 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: staring at the truck. Dad honked at him. He didn't budge. 235 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: He inch closer to him, he didn't budge. He stood 236 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: and stared along. That dad thought there was something wrong 237 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: with him. Now, if you got the impression from the 238 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: Peapat story that my dad was a deer hating poacher, 239 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: well here's the evidence that should knock that silly thought 240 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: right out of you. Nagging. This encounter was in the 241 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: middle of nowhere, well past midnight. Had he chosen to, 242 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: he could have just driven on by or shot got 243 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: him out the window the ladder ben what a deer 244 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: hating poacher would have done, but that's not what he did. 245 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: He decided to see if he was injured and if 246 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: need be render aid or put him out of his misery, 247 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: both things that are heavily discouraged these days, but this 248 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: was a different time. Moving on, he grabbed a brand 249 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: new Laryert rope from behind the seat, walked out in 250 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: front of his truck, and through a beautiful loop about 251 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: fifteen yards that landed, as he said, like an angel 252 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: had placed it around his antlers. He popped the rope 253 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 1: to tighten the sensi, and that's when the buck came 254 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: to life. Apparently the deer was none the worse for wear, 255 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 1: and only blinded by the truck lights, because as that 256 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: buck ran into the darkness, it took most of the 257 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: hide from his palms and all his fingerprints and a 258 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: brand new rope with him. Now he found that rope 259 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: about sixty yards off the road two days later, where 260 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 1: it had unceremoniously called on the limb after that deer 261 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: it mocked too shortly after takeoff. Thinking about that story 262 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: makes me realize that apples really don't fall far from 263 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: the tree. My brothers and Eyelow, with most of our 264 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: friends and relations, love to deer hunt. I've been hunting 265 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: surrounding states and been successful on many occasions. Nothing earth 266 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: shattering as in antlercized, but good mature deer just the 267 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: same and trophies to me for sure. But it's the 268 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: ones that got away, though, the ones that I slip 269 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: through my fingers, that caused me to pause or reflect 270 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: on what I did to mess it up, sometimes resigned 271 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: to the fact that some things just aren't meant to be. 272 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: I was hung with Jacob Wood, a good friend of mine, 273 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: on family property that he's been hunting on forever. We're 274 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: good friends. He's very good friends. He's like a brother 275 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: and a son all in one to me. Both of 276 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: us loved a deer hunt, and I filmed him smash 277 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: a great buck back when I was just filming for 278 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: the experience and trying to learn how. I made him 279 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: pass on that buck with his bow at twenty five 280 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 1: yards one evening because the camera light was bad. The 281 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: next day we left for New Mexico, where we chased 282 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,479 Speaker 1: elk for almost two weeks all over creation to no avail, 283 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: regretting the deer that we let walk away for that 284 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: stupid camera back home. That sixteen hour drive back to 285 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: Arkansas was mostly in discussion on how we were going 286 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: to rest for a couple of days then try to 287 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 1: get that buck hemmed up with his muzzleoader. We got 288 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: home well after daylight, exhausted and beat down from the 289 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: butt kicking we'd received in New Mexico. He crashed at 290 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: his house and I crashed at mine. Three hours later, 291 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: I was picking up my phone to text him to 292 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,400 Speaker 1: see if he was awake when my phone buzzed, I'm 293 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: going after this afternoon, he texted. I texted back, picked 294 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 1: me up on your way through. Three hours later, we 295 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: were standing over one hundred and fifty six inch white 296 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: tail that walked out in the golden hour of light 297 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: like he'd read the script we discussed all the way 298 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: back home from that unsuccessful Elkhunt feast to famine to feast. 299 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: Sometimes it just works out. What seemed like a sure 300 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: thing went soar fast because of no camera light on 301 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: the first opportunity, and then a couple weeks of self doubt, 302 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: and then bingo, we got him. Then there's the times 303 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: when all looks perfect, and Fate hands you an oatmeal 304 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: raisin cookie you thought was chocolate chip. Can there be 305 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: a bigger betrayal? I think not. I was both hunting 306 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: the back of the property where my friend Jacob had 307 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: named this buck High Beams because of his tall antlers. 308 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: I called him a deer because I don't think an 309 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 1: almo was outside of dogs and horses should really have names, 310 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: and that includes cats. Sorry, Reva, but I said what 311 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 1: I said. Anyway, This great specimen of a white tail 312 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: buck was notoriously nocturnal, and Jacob had been watching him 313 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: for coming on to four years. We had pictures of him, 314 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: mostly at night, but on a whim, I went to 315 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: the back where he hung out, just to sit on 316 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 1: a food plot and see what I could see. I 317 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: was facing the north and staring out across a hlf 318 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: acre plot about lost in thought when I caught moving 319 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: out of the right side of my vision. A doe 320 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: was walking from the east edge of the woods, making 321 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: her way steadily toward the center of the opening. As 322 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: I watched her walking, tracking her smooth gait with my eyes, 323 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: I looked past her and they're seventy yards away was 324 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: the mystical book Old high Ben. It's halfway sticking out 325 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: of the brush on the north side of the food plot. 326 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: He walked out and followed her lead, pausing along to 327 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: grab a bite of vegan food as he made his 328 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: way closer with every step. At twenty five yards of broadside, 329 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: I punched a hole just behind his left front shoulder. 330 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: The mechanical broad had stopped when it hit the other side. 331 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: The shot was as easy as falling out of the bed. 332 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: He wheeled ninety degrees and smoked it out of orbit, 333 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: heading northwest with about a foot of airw poking out 334 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: of the entry hole. And that was the last I 335 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: ever saw of him. We never found a drop of 336 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: blood or him. Trust me when I say I looked, 337 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: and we looked. We looked for days, and I looked 338 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 1: for weeks. I crawled in and out of more treetops 339 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: and thickets so thick with briers that a rabbit would 340 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,479 Speaker 1: have to toe the hatchet to get through them. And 341 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: I never found so much as a hair. That was 342 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: eight years ago, and I killed a lot of dear sins. 343 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: But I will never get over not getting that one. 344 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 1: And I don't get mad because his head isn't hanging 345 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: on my wall. I'm disappointed. All the effort my friend 346 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 1: put into passing him year after year, allowing that joker 347 00:21:05,760 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: to reach his full potential, was seemingly wasting. I didn't 348 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: get to have his antlers hanging on my wall. Now 349 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 1: that was a big deal, don't get me wrong. But 350 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: most importantly, that deer meet was lost, and that would 351 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: have fed my family and my friends. And we can 352 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: kill six deer in Arkansas. It's taking another deer for 353 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: the freezer wouldn't be a problem, but that one would 354 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: go to waste and wasting game. That's no way on. Now. 355 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: Fast forward two years later, and on the opposite side 356 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,479 Speaker 1: of that property, I shot a good deer with a 357 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 1: very familiar looking set of antlers. Now, the story of 358 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: all stories would be that I cleaned him and found 359 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: my era from two years before. But this ain't Hollywood. 360 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 1: But standing there looking at the characteristics of the antlers 361 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: in my hand and comparing them to the pictures I 362 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: had in my mind of the one that got away, 363 00:21:57,119 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: you know, OHI bem I'd say they were closely related, 364 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: who knows, But I'll post pictures of them both and 365 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: you can see what I'm talking about and decide for yourself. Now, 366 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: that doesn't make up for the one that was lost 367 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: by any means. Nothing will replace the loss because no 368 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: portion of that deer that I shot was ever utilized. 369 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: But it does speak for wildlife management and the plan 370 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: Jacob had going on that property, allowing the game to 371 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: grow and reproduce with the strongest jeans winning out a 372 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: great and hard lesson in conservation all in one, and 373 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: anything I can take a lesson away from good or 374 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:42,399 Speaker 1: bad that will help me in the future is a 375 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 1: lesson learned. White Tail Week is going on until the 376 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: sixth of October, and if you're in the market for 377 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: some new first light, the savings set up this year 378 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: is pretty unique and the more that you spend, the 379 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: bigger the savings. Now, if you don't spend anything, you 380 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 1: save at all, but you also don't get any new 381 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: cool deer smashing threads in the systems they put together 382 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: this year really cool. Check out all the details over 383 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: at the meat eater dot com. Thank y'all so much 384 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 1: for listening. Remember our folks that have been affected by 385 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,959 Speaker 1: the devastation brought on by Hurricane Helene, and do what 386 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: you can to help and be sure if you're sending 387 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: money that is to a legitimate organization. Until next week, 388 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: this is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.