Beagle , bear, wild boar or Jester hill panther

Well I was caught twice today without my rifle, Once this morning. If you read my other blog you know I had a chicken killed by a coyote last week and since then I have been patrolling the lane every morning with my rifle , kind of like a prison guard. Mainly to have my scent in the area to scare off any varmints. This morning however I left my rifle next to the door, and as I started down the lane I jumped a grey fox, laying there in ambush for my hens. The grass next to the lane was only about five inches high and yet he was just laying there. I cut the grass this afternoon.
                                      The second time was this evening at about seven thirty I walked out to the pond to check on  Kenny Ray. When I got there I decided to turn Fisher one of my Beagle hounds loose for some exercise.  Doc my other beagle run loose all the time, well they ran around the pond and up and down the lane and I decided to take them out and see if we could get up a rabbit and have us a race. The dogs ran into the brush and I was standing on top of the ridge checking on a persimmon tree to see if it had any fruit. Just then I heard the dogs bark about two hundred yards from me in the edge of the woods where Kenny Ray thought he seen a bear last week. They were barking at something but not moving out with the track{scent} and they do not cold trail. They were barking like a coon hound on tree, that's when I heard the brush start breaking and a low growl and like a dog cry for just as second and yet the dogs stayed in the same spot. Now I had no gun , no shirt and my boots were not even tied. I began to holler back at Kenny Ray to go get my gun. He jumped om his four wheeler and went back to the house to grab my rifle. Another four or five minutes passed and the digs still barking but now were moving to my right and now about a hundred yards from me. Kenny Ray returned with my rifle and we started into the woods toward the dogs and as we approached Kenny Ray spotted one of the dogs just as they started back to my left toward where the commotion began. So we turned toward the point to try and cut them off.  This time the dogs and the prey went low on the point and the underbrush so bad you can not see the bench from our position. As we listened to the dogs run they slowly went around the ridge into a old clear cut and once again they seemed to have stopped but there barking intensified, again like they had it treed and by now it was getting dark, in fact I looked at my watch , ten minutes to nine.  the barking lasted about ten minutes then all was quiet. I was getting eat up with mosquitoes and had Kenny Ray go get my tee shirt, he was gone about ten minutes and returned with my shirt and asked me dad have you heard anything I said no son. He the asked me what I thought they might be running. I said well son it is not a rabbit or deer as they do not run like that, I said they were running like the dogs I hunted over in Tennessee wild boar hunting, and while I have hunted bear but not with dogs, son I am not sure what it is. He then asked me dad do you think the dogs are hurt? Are you going to go in after them. Son I do not know and I began to call the dogs in. At nine thirty still no sound and no dogs coming to my calls. I said son let's us go get my truck and drive out through and listen for them.  We returned with the truck and I stopped where we last heard them and I began to call once again, we waited a few minutes and I drove down about twenty yards and there was Fisher coming in to my calls finally but no Doc. Fisher had his tongue hanging down to the ground  and was wore out Kenny Ray picked him
up and I said son check him over and see if he is hurt, Kenny Ray replied no dad no blood just wore out, I began to call for Doc But he never came in or barked. Kenny Ray asked dad what are you going to do, son nothing I can do for now we will wait till morning and see if Doc comes in.

Mountain man stir fry

What a dinner we had last night thanks to my two boys, my son Kenny Ray and my other son/nephew
Matthew. They spent most of the night Friday night frog gigging, setting turtle jugs and Saturday fishing, they woke Tari and I up early Saturday morning about one a.m. coming in the house soaking wet, and they just had to show dad how well they did without him. But the old man caught the biggest catfish for supper. We had frog legs, turtle and catfish and tater's from the garden all cooked over an open fire, my extra large skillet was not big enough for all the food. We were joined by sister in law Rhonda brother in law Tony and his three sons niece Monica and her two children and wife Tari all around the fire. The big hit of the night was the frog legs everyone kept asking if there was anymore the fried potatoes was a close second. After supper was over we discussed our next stir fry in September it will include same items plus squirrel and duck.

Turkzilla , beagles and turtles

This spring I managed two fill both of my turkey tags with two very nice gobblers. The first one was 25 lbs 11 inch beard and one inch spurs, the second was a monster 27lbs, eleven and a half inch beard and one and a quate rinch spurs. The fellows at the check in station said it was the biggest turkey that they had ever checked in. Ther magazine fish and game finder took the photo hanging in the store and told the fellows that it would be in the July isssue possibly the cover. I did not make the cover but turkzilla and I are on page 10. The first turkey I sneaked on , I closed the distance of about fifty yards without him seeing me, his attention was on a hen. He fell grave yard dead at the boom of the shotgun. I stepped of the distance at seventy one steps , a great shot . The second was in full strut also and with two hens and I managed to close the distance once again about twenty yards and the giant fell again grave yard dead never even twitching  a nice forty step shot.
              Overall in six hunts two turkey's on the ground and heard 8 different gobblers in those six days , and was still hearing turkeys gobble around the farm up the third week of June. We had one even come to my calls as Tari and my mom and I were sitting on the porch drinking coffee. Tari even slipping up on them in the early mornings on her walks. My brother in law also took a nice twenty two pound gobbler.
                           I purchased two beagle young beagle hounds back in the spring and try to take them out ever other evening if I am not to tired from the days work. One shows promise Fisher has a lot of hunt in him not much hope for Doc though. Kenny Ray has been running turtle jugs since season came in and so far has only managed one, along with some frog gigging . I have not got go with him yet, but I will be carving out some time to go with him soon.

30 years of vacation a husband and Hunter

I am writing tonight with little Belle curled up at my feet and a fine cigar. Thinking back over this past week of another great week of vacation. This is the thirtieth year of having this week off an the last time that I will be taking the whole week off , at best a couple of days only. I will be taking more time in October and staying on the farm. My week began with a wonderful dinner with my family over for Thanksgiving, with Mom , my sister's Lisa and Jennifer and their families and my Uncle Ken. Then on Friday Kenny Ray and I went on our second annual pheasant hunt, and once again the little boy put it on the old man. He made me so proud of him with his shot selection and his accuracy , the guides were impressed as well. As that same morning they had an accident with a eight year old boy who shot one of their best dogs that morning, and they are now considering no longer letting kids hunt there. It would be a shame this is the first time in over thirty years of hunting that I have seen such a accident. Kenny Ray and went to the farm after the hunt and on Saturday, Kenny Ray fixed baked pheasant with sauteed mushrooms onions and celery, with bake potatoes and a salad. Over the weekend we were joined by my father-in-law and brother-in-law and his two sons and my cousin, all of whom came down for the deer gun season.

                            On opening day Monday Kenny Ray and I hit the point together I seen a doe but did not get a shot. After about two hours we got up and began to back toward the cabin slowly trying to sneak up on some deer, when we came to briar thicket at a small white oak that Kenny Ray killed his first squirrel, he motioned to me to watch the lower end as he busted the thicket and just has he started thru something jumped and took off and what I seen took me by surprise a big coyote the first I have seen on the farm in twenty four years I have heard them howling at night but never seen one. On Tuesday morning I awoke with the ground covered in snow and chose not to hunt as I was going back to Dayton , to take my wife Tari out to supper for thirtieth wedding anniversary. I spent the morning out by the pond with my father-in-law Richard Boninsegna, we burnt trash and smoked a cigar while we watched Belle play in her first snow. I believe she enjoys the farm just as much as I do, she evens heads to the truck went let out to use the potty, looks up to me with ears perked up, like she is saying come on old man open the door and get driving.
                   On Wednesday Kenny Ray and I went duck hunting for the first time. I had posted on Greene county fish and game web site that we were looking for someone to take and show us the rope's, as I have never done any duck hunting. Fellow member Shane Davis called and said he would be happy to take us.
We arrived at C.J. Brown reservoir at four thirty am and took a boat ride and set up and just as if planned just after daylight two hooded merganser's came in and only one left, the little boy got his first duck a hen with one shot. A little while latter a drake flew in and the old man busted it. and then Shane got himself a drake. We only killed three ducks but we seen lots of birds and had a good time and are hooked, I can not thank Shane enough and neither can my taxidermist. I had planned on going back to the farm Thursday, to continue deer hunting, but I woke that morning with a cold and decided to stay in Dayton, as I don not like going to the doctor and letting them robe me. I am going to have to finish as Belle is chewing on my toe's and demanding my attention, her and I will go to the family room and turn on the western channel and see what is on.

Dad we are home

 

We have been busy around the farm this October cutting firewood and mowing around the farm. Kenny Ray his friend Matt and Shane and I finally built are dock/ deck on the pond I have planned it for two years. It was also a lesson for the boys on simple construction and how to hit your thumb with a hammer. Shane and I overseen the framing and the turned it over to the boys to put the decking on.

Kenny Ray had to be the first test pilot / cannonball , he and Matt tested it repeatedly and they even were able to trash talk Shane into flight. I have since installed two solar lamps and Kenny Ray is now able to run his remote control boat at night. Kenny Ray has also started taking his meals there and he continues to say Dad , I love my dock only wished we would have built it sooner. I am lucky that Kenny Ray loves the farm as much as I , for the last two Sundays when I have said son it is time to get ready and go home, his reply has been Dad we are home and I am never leaving

                                                                              

It is time to hit the woods again

It is Monday September 17 and 5 a.m. breakfast is over and I am trying to get caught up on some writing. I would rather be putting on my hunting pants this morning but I have to wear trained monkey clothes and go into the office.But before I go i will drink another cup of coffee and write some. Hunting season 2012 started in the great state of Kentucky , the opening of deer bow season on September 1. I was joined by my son Kenny Ray , my mother Pearlie she did not hunt she spent time with her brothers Bob and Earl and sister Monnell. I was also joined by Uncle Ken he spent time with his sister Mary and brother E.C. and I spent most of my time at the Brewer farm, 226 acres of home.
 On opening morning I had a deer come within about 40 yards but I was winded and the deer went to blowing and stomping it's feet at me but never let me see if it was a buck or doe in two and half days all we seen was turkey's and they never got within range as always.
The last remaining barn on the farm is about to be taken down as it took allot of damage back in the spring from the large hail. I spent my dinner time in the barn thinking back to all the work filled days and jokes and laughter that was done there thru the last 75 or 80 years. I cut some of the siding off the barn to bring back , to make a picture frame and to decorate inside of my cabin. I just found out this week after having some of it planed it is Chestnut and it looks very nice.
I took September 6 off from work to bring Squirrel season in and spend some time with Uncle Ken.

I had a perfect start to the Ohio season I was six for six , seen six squirrel's shot six times and six pieces of meat on my belt and back to my truck by 10 a.m. I split them with Uncle Ken . He stewed and made gravy with his on Friday and I fried mine. This past weekend was a work weekend Kenny Ray and I had to bring down new couch for the cabin on Friday. I was planning on burning the old one but Kenny Ray said  no dad let's put out by the pond like that couch in the movie Grumpy Old Men . Well as you see in the above photo the couch for now is by the pond and Uncle Ken and I both
relaxing after cutting firewood all day Saturday, we were both to tired to fish. On Sunday I decided to hunt that morning and had another good bushy tail hunt , not perfect but good I seen seven on the ground and killed three, I gave them all to Uncle Ken and I think he going to cook them today for him and is great granddaughter  for supper. Kenny Ray and I put up my tree stand Sunday afternoon and just farted around in the woods. We got back to the cabin around two thirty and he took a nap on the couch and I sat on the porch with a  cup of coffee and listened to the Reds  game on the radio in between snores. So far in the season deer 0 squirell's 9

Dad, those Swamp People have nothing on us

Kenny Ray got back last night after spending three days in Appalachain American heaven, the farm in Bainbridge. We went fishing Friday afternoon fishing after spending the morning with my cousin Lester. Lester came down that morning to visit and he brought down his deer mount to hang on the wall above the fireplace , it is in Ohio big bucks record book and was taken just below my pond. That afternoon Kenny Ray and went over to the river and fished up until dark. River fishing is new to Kenny Ray he has to learn to deal with the current. I did manage to catch one Saugeye. On Saturday Kenny Ray rode the four wheeler while I mowed around the pond, he finally grabbed a fishing rod around nine thirty am and staretd catching some small large mouth about five of them which he released. We then decided to try and fish my neibors pond which he has told me for the last five years and I have never taken the time to do so. Now from my pond it is only about a hundred yards thru the woods. I do not think this pond has been fished in ten or twenty years to my knowledge as the banks are all grown up and it is very difficult to casy and is covered in ant hills about two feet high where you can cast.but boy does it ever have fish. just as fast as you would cast the bobber would disappear. We caught and kept ten fish and I think we released twenty nice Bluegill. I had been promising Kenny Ray a fish fry like I used to do over a open fire.
As we sat around the fire talking and watching the fish fry Kenny Ray said Dad what about some frog legs I told him not tonight as frog season was not in yet but he could try and catch some if wanted to. He grabbed my spotlight and hit the banks and managed to catch one bull frog with his hands which totally amazed me. He turned the frog loose washed up and we ate some nice fish for supper, as we were eating we heard a splash behind us , it was his fishing pole going into the water as we forgot the pole he baited and cast out. We laughed and Kenny Ray said Dad those Swamp People have nothing on us.
It started raining on us around midnight and we called it an evening and went back to the cabin.
I woke around five am and it was pouring a rain , I got up turned on the coffee pot and sat out on the porch and listened to the rain hitting the metal roof, as it got daylight the fog began to roll in from the valley below and thru the woods and in the disatance I could hear a turkey gobble. about eight I ran out of coffee in the first pot and decide it was time for sausage and eggs . Kenny Ray got up and we cleaned up around the cabin , went out and Kenny Ray added some new sugar syrup to his bees{ which I thought were mine} and headed back to Dayton in the rain.