has just about killed me. Man am I out of shape.
Deer hunting, unless you use dogs in a small club, doesn’t even begin to prepare you for a day of chasing bunnies where you need snake chaps. Much less two days in a row. Even the dogs were dragging butt by late afternoon.

Oh and speaking of snake, I saw one today. Just as I was stepping over some brush. My feet stopped before the rest of me did and I though I was going to pitch face forward on top of him. So I put my gun barrel out to stop me. Then, of course, I had to worry about a plugged barrel while facing a deadly Copper-headed Water Rattler. Alabama only has one type of snake and this is it. I beat a strategic retreat.
SO WATCH WHERE YOU SIT

Yesterday’s hunt was a bust except for a small buck rabbit that Rye shot when it tried to sneak past him in a briar patch. Not a wise move for the rabbit, Rye has excellent eyes for someone in his sixties.
That was it. One little short race in a full day of hunting.

Uncle No Pass and his grandson, Brag, were to meet me in Seale at 8:30 this morning after I picked up Judy and Maggie (dogs) from Cuz. I also picked up Cuz’s grandson, Dusty, who was out of school for some holiday. At thirteen, Dusty is a safe hunter and a cracker jack shot. He killed a buck this year that had a 22 inch spread on his rack. I wish more kids were trained on gun safety even if they don’t hunt. Be a heck of a lot less accidents.

We had several good races but only killed two and Dusty got both of them. As he came toward me carrying the big buck rabbit, he said “How come you miss…..twice?”
“I didn’t miss. I shot the first time to let you know he was coming and the second time to speed him up. To make it more sporting when he came by you.”
Didn’t work” he said swinging the bunny in front of me.

8 January 2004



I was thinking of taking Uncle NoPass rabbit hunting today at Mr. Murty's but the cold weather (low 30's) interferred with those plans. At 84, Uncle NoPass really needs more blue bird days to hunt, so we planned one for Saturday. Hopefully, the rain expected this afternoon and evening, will have passed our area by then.

But In the meantime, I'll clean the bathrooms and tend to more mundane chores.