I want to tell you about Samuel P. Thumbsucker,
Hover went with me, to lend moral support. I’ve met some of the best people online through this website. I know that sooner or later, I'm going to get a lemon, but so far, they've all been gems.
I’m not a public speaker. I always think of the perfect rejoinder five minutes after the subject has changed. The reason I write is that it gives me a chance to think through what I’m “saying”, correct my atrocious grammar, syntax and spelling. Something I encourage all of you readers, but especially you teats, to do and that’s practice writing up your reports on a word processor using the tools at the top to correct. I could use a few more writers on this site.
We were both a little surprised at both the reception that the EARH&SESC club and its t shirts got. Add in the fact that the Rabbit Journal was known to a couple of reporters in attendance, one with the Birmingham News. Even “Rimfire” was known to Robin Nummy who ran the CAB show. She was commenting on how much she liked our shirts and that she had been in correspondence with another rabbit hunter earlier in the year. I asked if the writer was named “Rimfire”?
While I rubbed my shin I told Hover that I see our reputation preceded us.
Hover said “Our?”
I was prepared and relaxed prior to the meeting. As I listened to the first speakers, mostly professionals with speaking skills, I ran over in my mind what I had to say with strains of “We shall overcome” echoing in the background as I dazzled the board with my logic and oratory skills.
Having signed up to speak in the “other” category at the very bottom of the page, I figured I could listen to any arguments and brilliantly refute them in my monologue before any question period.
First up after the professionals was…….”Rimfire”.
Quaking in my boots, I stumbled forward to the microphone trying to remember my name.
You remember the look the rabbit has when it realizes that those two slender saplings it hides behind are actually your legs?
Standing at the mic, I dredged up my real name, no easy matter considering the numerous nicknames and cyber alias I go by.
I began my stammering statement only to hear the beat of wings as my subject matter took flight.
I snagged random thoughts as they fluttered haphazardly around my empty head.
Finishing, I started a bolt for my chair, when they asked me a couple of questions. I suppose they thought that if I was that funny when I couldn’t remember what the heck I was prepared to talk about, then I would be hilarious when speaking off the cuff.
In retrospect, we should be happy to have a rabbit season at all.
There were a few interesting discussions like not feeding the sharks (chumming) where people were swimming or playing in the water. That seemed like common sense to me, but in my fifty six years, I’ve found to be sorely lacking in most people, at times, myself included.
I was told by two CAB board members and the spokesman for the Alabama Dog Hunters Association that there was “no energy” on the part of the board to expand deer season into February with the exception of one board member.
That’s one board member to many.
The dog hunter problem is a tough one. And, just because we hunt rabbits on smaller tracts doesn’t mean that when they finish with the deer/dog hunters they won’t come for us.
The complaints that I heard from one individual could just as easily have been about a pack of beagles that crossed a line in pursuit of a rabbit.
Heck, I even heard one person who called for the total ban on deer hunting in his county.
I encourage my readers that if they have the time and a CAB meeting is close enough to attend, voice their opinions and support.
Your say