1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to this Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: from coon hunting to trot lighting 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 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 1: my experiences and life lessons. This Country Life is presented 5 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,239 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 airways had off. All right, friends, 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: grab a chair or drop that tailgate. I've got some 8 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: stories to share. Dogs and man love story. Dogs and 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: man have been rambling around the planet for a long 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: time now, me like I'm sure a lot of you, 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: are never without one. There's never been a time in 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: my life when I didn't have at least one dog. 13 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: And it's to that end that I'm here today talking 14 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: about these animals that we all love so But why, 15 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: That's my question, and I'm going to talk all about it. 16 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: But first I'm going to tell you a story. John 17 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: Carl Deckleman Buddy to his friends and Booed to his grandchildren. 18 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: He was a tradesman adept in agricultural related work, from 19 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: cattle to lumber production. He had several jobs associated with farming. 20 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: That was a natural progression in his life. Being from 21 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:39,759 Speaker 1: the Mississippi River Delta town of Elaine, Arkansas. Rabbit hunting 22 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: was his pastime and beagles were his passion. The small beagles, 23 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: the thirteen inch beagles, the ones that looked like little 24 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: walker puppies even when they're full grown. None of my 25 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: favorites too, But Buddy and his hunting pals, one being 26 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: the store owner, kept a pen full of beagles out 27 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: behind Sibilis Apply Store in West Helena, a small town 28 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: on the bank of the Mississippi River in Arkansas. The 29 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: dogs were carried for daily by someone in the group, 30 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: and on weekends they'd all meet load the dogs off 31 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: to the rabbit woods. They'd go a lot of trips 32 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: were the Jackson Point Hunting Club, a famed piece of 33 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: land along the river that both trophy deer and world 34 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: class duck hunting, and, according to Buddy, a whole bunch 35 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: of rapids. The group of men were also beg in 36 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: to field trialing their dogs, and Buddy's favorite was his 37 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: blanket backed red eared beagle named Nancy Anne. Nancy Anne 38 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: was his pride and joy and the leader of the 39 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: pack of dogs he called his own, and the honorable 40 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: mentions for funny Face and pretty Girl, both puppies of 41 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: Nancy Anne, but she was number one. A. Buddy had 42 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: an opportunity to cross Nancy Anne with another champion beagle 43 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,839 Speaker 1: in Clarksdale, Mississis, and he carried her across the river, 44 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: only a thirty minute ride away, and he left her 45 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,399 Speaker 1: in hopes of a successful union that would add more 46 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: little Nancy Anne's to his pack, and with their mother 47 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: and Buddy to show them the ropes they had any 48 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: desire at all, it would be a simple task, but 49 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: first we had to have puppies. But that wouldn't happen. 50 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: She got out of the pen in Clarksdale not long 51 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: after Buddy left her, and she was gone, and with 52 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: her disappearance, the hope for a new generation of top 53 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: notch rabbit chasers left with her, and Buddy was devastated. 54 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: His granddaughters told me that they remember how distraught Bood was. 55 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: There was no dogs in Buddy's house, but his connection 56 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: with Nancy Anne was obvious to everyone that knew him. 57 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: She was his hunting partner as much as either of 58 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: his friends, whose dogs were kept in the same kennel, 59 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: But either one of his friends were busy and unable 60 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: to go. Nancy Anne was still there. She was always 61 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: ready and hunted just as hard at the end of 62 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: the day as she did at the beginning. She was 63 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: a lot like Buddy. Her life was simple and she 64 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 1: worked hard. Maybe that's why they were so close, each 65 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: having a similar philosophy. You see a job, and you 66 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:30,119 Speaker 1: do a job to work hard while doing it. Days 67 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: went by him, crossing the river and searching for her, 68 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: until it seemed all hope was lost. Dole of a 69 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: basket full of puppies from Nancy Anne, a faint reminder 70 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: of why she was out of Buddy's direct care to 71 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: begin with. Now, no number of puppies could replace what 72 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: Buddy had lost. Nancy Anne was gone. The house phone 73 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: in Tyler, Texas, rang, and whoever answered it announced joyfully 74 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: to everyone that Nancy Ann had been found and was 75 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: now home with Buddy or bood as Alexis called him. 76 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: And in two thousand and one, when Boode passed away, 77 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: Nancy Anne would spend the rest of her days in 78 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: Texas being loved on by Buddy's daughter, his son in law, 79 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: and his granddaughters, one of which just happens to be 80 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: my wife. Not a unique story, but a lesson and 81 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: never relinquishing hope. That's a lesson for us all. And 82 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: that's just how that happened. The bond of a man 83 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: and dog has been scientifically documented to fifteen thousand years ago. 84 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: On the evil World War One, some dudes were digging 85 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 1: around over in Bond, Germany and found a dog skeleton 86 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: buried alongside two humans. The DNA of that specimen, it 87 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: turns out, was that of a domesticated dog like we 88 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: have now, running around the yard in the house and 89 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: dropping hair on the floor like a crop duster. Now 90 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 1: did they dig up the first couple who owned a 91 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: pet dog? Who knows, but I highly doubt it. Can 92 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: you imagine the criteria to search for the first of anything, 93 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: and how you'd qualify it if you found it. You 94 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: can only surmise that the dog meant something for them 95 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: to have been buried with it, if folks now thought 96 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: the way they did in some degree, Egyptian pharaohes were 97 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: buried with all their goodies and sometimes their favorite folks. 98 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: That's right. The old saying of you can't take it 99 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: with you, well, that was obviously coined long after the 100 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: nose fell off the sphinx's face, because them folks thought 101 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: you could what a rotten retirement plan. I bet the 102 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: anxiety ran high in the Pharaoh's house every time that 103 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: Rascal caught a cold. But the dog that was found 104 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: in Germany at that burial site is the closest link 105 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: known to exist between wolves and old Whalen. The coonhound 106 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: that's currently taking up space right beside my chair, now 107 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: he's a member of this family, according not only to me, 108 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: but my wife Alexis and my daughter Bailey will also attest. 109 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: But why how does an animal develop a place of 110 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: such importance in a human's world? Of what matters? Some 111 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: folks believe it's the nurture and instinct of humans to 112 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: care for other beings. There's always exception, but speaking of 113 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: humanity as a whole, our species natural behavior is to 114 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: provide care for those around us, including animals. Now, there's 115 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: also the argument that we take care of and protect 116 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: things of value, things that provide and perform a service, 117 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: like a herding dog, a protective dog, or in my case, 118 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: a hunt dog. I've had several over the years, But 119 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: just like family members and friends, there there will be 120 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: a select number that will stand out above the rest. 121 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: That's my focus and what I find interested. My dad 122 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: was known for having good tree dogs and good running dogs, 123 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: and each were cared for totally different ways. Running dogs 124 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: were kept in a big pen across the road from 125 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: his house, and they were fed and watered and medicated 126 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: as needed. Their pen was kept clean, and they lacked 127 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: for nothing in regard to their health and welfare. Squirrel dogs, 128 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: on occasions were kept in there too, but the majority 129 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: of the time they hung out in the front yard. 130 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: The running dogs were tools and a means to an end, 131 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: just like the squirrel dogs, but were not in this 132 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: intimate of a setting. That was the difference. Ten or 133 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: fifteen running walker hounds would be loaded in the back 134 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: of his truck, and when the suitable conditions or signed 135 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: was found a fresh coyode activity some are all of 136 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: them would be released at once. The rest of the 137 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: event was a listening party as to what dog was 138 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,319 Speaker 1: leading the pack, which one had the best sound in bar, 139 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 1: and so on and so on. Outside of turning them 140 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 1: loose and catching them, there was no other man and 141 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: dog interaction. They responded to my dad because he was 142 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: the guy they recognized that fed them. I couldn't get 143 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 1: those dogs to do much of anything. When it came 144 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: to commands, there was only one alpha, and it was 145 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: my dad, not me. When they saw him coming, they 146 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: knew they were fixing to do one of two things. 147 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: They were either loading up in the truck to go 148 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: hunting or they were fixing to eat. Both activities were 149 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: their favorites. Those hounds were pretty stand office and not 150 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: at all friendly, or how we've come to view dogs 151 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 1: that are friendly. Now, you compare that to their hunting cousin, 152 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: the Tree and Walker, like the one that's laying on 153 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: his back like a dead cockroach right beside my desk 154 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: right now, and you'd think they were two totally different 155 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: species animals, when in fact they came from the same 156 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 1: corral of English foxhounds brought over from England, and credit 157 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: to John Walker and George Washington Mappin's cross of hounds 158 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: that became the Tree and Walker coonhound. There's some intrigue 159 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: and criminality that went into that story back in the 160 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: eighteen hundreds, but I'll say that for another day. It's 161 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 1: pretty interesting. Nonetheless, the running walkers and Tree and Walkers, 162 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: they look basically the same, but how I interact with 163 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: them is totally different and that is where the true 164 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: difference is whaling my tree and Walker is as much 165 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: of a lap dog as he is a hunting dog, 166 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: But how we interact is where it separates. I go 167 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: with him and when he hunts, following his every move, 168 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: and when he gets a coon treat, he barks to 169 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: call me to him, and he won't leave until I 170 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: get there. He's trained where I can call him to me. 171 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: But when describing the attributes of a good tree dog, 172 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: it is a plus for one to be accurate, obviously, 173 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: but also one that will stay until you get there. 174 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: Just like my dad's running hounds and his squirrel dogs, 175 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: the way he interacted with them was the exact opposite. 176 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,839 Speaker 1: A running hound that came back to where we were 177 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: listening to the race for no apparent reason, was greeted 178 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: by my dad's size ten red wing to that hounds 179 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: behind to remind him that his job was to run 180 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: and bark at the colt, and it was our job 181 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: to listen. And just like the folks that dug up 182 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: the two humans that had a dog buried with him 183 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: in Germany, we were guessing as to what was really 184 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: going on out there in that cold race, and couldn't 185 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: testify under oath that all those dogs were actually running 186 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: a cold. We hardly ever saw it. We were never 187 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: close enough, especially hunting at night with the dogs in 188 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: the middle of the woods and us sitting on the 189 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: tailgate or in a lawn chair quarter of a mile 190 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: or more away. The dogs may have cracked the cod 191 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: and figured out that if they all ran around in 192 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 1: the circles like they were chasing a coat, the dab 193 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 1: would be happy and maybe throw out a few extra 194 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: scoops of feed when they all got back home. The 195 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: squirrel hunting that it's different, and we used different dogs. 196 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: Mountain curves, firests in every combination of each that you 197 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: can think of, were what we used. Ninety nine percent 198 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: of them were bobtail That hunt, like coon hunting, was 199 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: more intimate. We rode horses mainly, but sometimes walked behind 200 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: the dogs as they criss crossed out in front of us, 201 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 1: looking for the center of a squirrel and occasionally checking 202 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: back in to see how close we were. Following them 203 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: through the woods and ideally not getting more than three 204 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: hundred yards or so away before they'd make a loop 205 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: back to see where we were. If there were a 206 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: lot of squirrels. They never made that checking in because 207 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: we were always with them. They were used to us 208 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: being with them, and when they treed, the closer we got, 209 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: the more excited they got. The real action started as 210 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: soon as the first shot rang out, And if we 211 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: didn't get the squirrel on the first shot, or the 212 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: squirrel took off on our approached, the dogs would lose 213 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: their minds trying to be the first one to show 214 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: us what tree he ran to. It was a bona 215 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: fide partnership and they knew it. They didn't get to 216 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: eat the squirrel either. They were working for a pat 217 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: on the head, nothing more. The significance of the relationship 218 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: is one that couldn't operate without the other, and we 219 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: each saw the significant role that we both played. The 220 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: dog got a subserviance, and I believe love and loyalty 221 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: as well. Now, if you don't think dogs have the 222 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: power to reason or connect on a deeper level, don't 223 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,679 Speaker 1: make me quotes from Wilson rawls on here about loving 224 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,319 Speaker 1: a coonhand and vice versa. I'll have you all balling 225 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: your eyes out on way to work this morning. Even 226 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: though Where the Red Fern Grows is a work of fiction, 227 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: I have witnessed that fond personally, and I'm sure a 228 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: lot of you have as well. But the relationship that's 229 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: what's significant, maybe even more so than we realize. Just 230 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: this past week, I accidentally left my back gate open 231 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: while doing some chores in the early evening, Wailing. The 232 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: Wonder Hound was inside the house soaking up the ac 233 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: like the rest of the family. After an evening of 234 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: fun and frivolity with the girls, they drifted off to 235 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: the bed while me and the hound watched TV. Around eleven, 236 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: I let him out the back door and went to bed, 237 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: not realizing I left the gate open. When Bailey and 238 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: I left for school the next morning, just like always, 239 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: I go out back and put his food out and 240 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: check his water, and then we make tracks for her school. 241 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: The door leading from the garage to the backyard makes 242 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: a tail squeak at nine times out of ten when 243 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: he hears it, he's on his way to eat his 244 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: breakfast or try to scam his way inside the house. 245 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: Not this morning. I walked over to his doghouse to 246 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: see if he was inside it, and it was a 247 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: real possibility. After all, as I've mentioned before, he has 248 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: his own air conditioning unit in there. I looked back 249 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: toward the gate and my stomach went on. I knocked. 250 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: That's when I realized that I'd forgotten to shut it. 251 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: He'd gotten out before it, and he's not running away. 252 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: He's just doing what a socialized coonhound does. He goes 253 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: hunting and visiting the neighbors. He usually stops by the 254 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: local Dollar General store and goes inside for a treat. 255 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: I kid you not. A couple of years ago he 256 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: did that, and the lady that was working there gave 257 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: him a snack and called the number that was on 258 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: his collar. Twice. A couple months later, he did the 259 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: same thing, and luckily the same lady was there and 260 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: hemmed him up, gave him a bite of something to eat, 261 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: and called us. Now, I'm confident that clown slipped the 262 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: bonds of the backyard because he was feeling the night 263 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: package so down the road he went to the Dollar 264 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: General for a little snackrel. But those times were different 265 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: because he'd only been gone a short while, maybe even 266 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: a few minutes, when someone called. This time, he'd been 267 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: gone all night. There's no telling where he could be. 268 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: I've seen him cover twenty miles in the night when 269 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: coon hunting in three or four hours. In eight plus hours, 270 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: he could have been a long way away from home, 271 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: or worse yet, run over somewhere on the highway. I 272 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: called Alexis, who was already at work, and told her 273 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: what happened, and Bailey and I made a loop through 274 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: the neighborhood just in case we might see him, and 275 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: we didn't. As I was turning onto the highway, I 276 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: was praying we wouldn't find him laying on the shoulder 277 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: along the way, and my phone rang with a number 278 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: I didn't recognize. Sweet lady's voice said, are you missing 279 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: a four legged friend? Oh? Yes, ma'am, I am. She 280 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: told me where she lived in Bailey, and I little 281 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: shuck headed in that direction. As far as I knew, 282 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 1: he'd been gone eight hours, and in that span of 283 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: time he'd managed to be found less than three quarters 284 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 1: of a mile from my house. When I got there, 285 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 1: he was soaking, wet, muddy from one end to the other, 286 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: and had been apparently rambling all night somewhere, just doing 287 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: what coonhounds do at night. Now was he on his 288 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,239 Speaker 1: way back home when the lady called him over to 289 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: her and looked at his collar, and called me. I 290 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,000 Speaker 1: have no idea. I'd like to think that he would 291 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: come home. You hear those stories about dogs crossing the 292 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: country to find their family, so I'd like to think 293 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: this knucklehead would do the same. But whether he was 294 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: or not is not the point of my story. The 295 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: thought of not having him was beyond what I could 296 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: have imagined. It made me wonder just how I pooring 297 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: this dang dog was, and what my dad would have said. Now, 298 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: my dad's work truck, he had an eight track player 299 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: and a black case that held a number of eight 300 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 1: track tapes. You youngsters have to google that if you 301 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: don't know what an eight track is. I ain't gonna 302 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: explain it to you anyway. I can see that case 303 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: right now in the contents, and I bet I could 304 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: tell you just about in what order they were in 305 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: Whalon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Gary Stewart, Charlie Pride, Conway, Twitty, 306 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 1: Moe Bandy, and Jim Reeves, just to name a few. 307 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: Jim Reeves he spelled his name r ee v e s. 308 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: That's the generic spelling as we call it. But he 309 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: had a song called the Blizzard, and it was written 310 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: by the Great Harlan Howard and released in nineteen sixty one, 311 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: and the song the singer is trying to get home 312 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: to his wife mary Anne, and he's describing the trials 313 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: and the tribulations he faces along the way with a 314 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: blizzard and the fact that his horse Dan is lame 315 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: and struggling to make it. Starts out that there's still 316 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: seven miles from Marianne, and he sings about the cold 317 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 1: blowing snow. Then five miles from Marianne and he sings 318 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: about the hot biscuits he figures that are waiting on him. 319 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: Then three miles from Marianne. Then one hundred yards away. 320 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: Old Dan can't go any further, so they bed down 321 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: for the night, the cowboy and I wanting to leave 322 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: his horse, and they both perish in the cold. Found 323 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: the next morning froze in just one hundred yards from Marianne. 324 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: I asked my dad when I was a little boy, 325 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: after we listened and sang along with that song, if 326 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: he'd have stayed with old Buck, our buckskin horse like 327 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: the cowboy of the song. He said no, And Jim 328 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: Reeves wouldn't have stayed with dead if Marianne could have 329 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: fixed biscuits worth of dern. That's probably true, But I'll 330 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: tell you this. I've seen my daddy cry only three times, 331 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: and one of them was when he told me our 332 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: squirrel dog, Peanut, had passed away. Now, I've talked about 333 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: Peanut before and would usually describe him as my hairy 334 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,880 Speaker 1: little brother and my dad's favorite son. I never said 335 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: that to my dad because I was always scared he 336 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: would agreed with me. But fast forward a generation or two, 337 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: and the last squirrel dog my dad had that was 338 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: as close to Peanut's ability was named Buck. Now, I 339 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: like Peanut. He was a mountain cerr and the heck 340 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: of a squirrel dog. But my dad was from an 341 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: area where dogs stayed outside, and he gave me and 342 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:52,200 Speaker 1: anyone else fits about having a dog in the house. 343 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: Dogs belonged outside period. Here was a guy who wouldn't 344 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: have braved the blowing snow for his horror because of 345 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: a pan of warm biscuits, and had a hard and 346 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: fast rule of no dogs in the house. And yet 347 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: on numerous occasions my brother would stop by unannounced and 348 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 1: catch them both asleep in the recliner. Dad reared back 349 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: with his fingers interlaced across the belly of his overalls 350 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: and Buck curled up on the footstool, surprised by my brother. 351 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: Daddy would say, Buck, what are you doing in this house? 352 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 1: Get out of here, my brother holding screen door open 353 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: as Buck trotted out of the house. I tell you 354 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: that story to emphasize the bond that comes from the 355 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: intimacy of relationship between man and dog. There's some next 356 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: level signs going on here that no one can map 357 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: out scientifically beyond carbon dating and DNA. Both are interesting 358 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 1: documentations of origin and history, but when it comes down 359 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: to it, who cares? Not me? Interesting for sure, but 360 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: I don't care if it started fifteen thousand years ago 361 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: for fifteen minutes. If it can change the outlook at 362 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,159 Speaker 1: my dad, you could get a hold of anyone. The 363 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: joy I and my family received from my four legged 364 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: friend as the lady down the road calling is beyond 365 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 1: my understanding. My question at the beginning was how and 366 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: why does an animal get to play such an important 367 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: role in our lives. There's so many things to look at, 368 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: and there are folks out there that have dogs that 369 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: can't hunt, lick, and they love them just the same 370 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:33,199 Speaker 1: as I do. Mine coincidence, I don't think so them. 371 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 1: It is my strong belief that the dogs are a 372 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 1: gift from Heaven that love us unconditionally, and they're here 373 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: to sudden example. We're supposed to be unconditional. Love is 374 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: a chore, something we as humans have to work on 375 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: every day. I know my wife loves me beyond measure. 376 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: I also know there are times when she probably wonders 377 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 1: why something to be said for love and devotion and 378 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: a living, breathing example of each as a dog expends 379 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: his whole life just waiting for you to come home. 380 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: Thank y'all so much for listening. Clay and I appreciate 381 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 1: each and every one of you who do, and invite 382 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 1: you to share it with someone that you might think 383 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: would enjoy it as well. Leaving reviews helps get our 384 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 1: shows in front of others who might like them, and 385 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 1: I think those of you taking the time to drop 386 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: a few lines it really makes a difference. Don't forget 387 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: if you've got a good story to share about hunting, fishing, 388 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: dogs outdoors are just good old country living or city 389 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 1: living for that matter, send them in to me at 390 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: my tcl story for meadeater dot com until next week. 391 00:23:52,600 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 1: This is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.