Always A Country Gal At Heart

My Dad raised me fishing for crappie and catfish on the Kentucky Lake and Tennessee River. So I learned fishing at an early age. When I meet my future husband, I had only hunted rabbits on the farm. He took me squirrel hunting, and that is where it began. I loved the smell of the early morn woods, and the flaming colors of fall foliage. I spend more time looking and enjoying nature than actuallytaking of game.

After we married, Frank and I went deer hunting. Together we have learned the skills needed to stalk and stand hunt these majestic creatures. I give credit to the partnership we share in hunting to helping our marriage last for over 26years now. Not to say that we have had all happy times, but our hunting together brings us closer and I look forward to the time we spend together in the woods hunting.

My inner sense told me that he was near. I had been using the grunt call now for more than 30 minutes. I slowly turned to look to my right, and there he was.Out in the open field. He was majestic with his 8 points and held his head high and proud. In fact he was watching a doe just a few feet from me. I raised my rifle and at that moment, he stepped behind a clump of leaves. I let out a soft grunt on the call, and he stepped toward me again. I took careful aim and he was off like a jackrabbit at the sound of my shot. I trailed him into the woods, found him in a heap.

I just sat down and quietly thanked the great spirit for allowing me the time in the woods and the harvest of this deer. I had begun the season with the idea that this would be my last year to hunt. And so it may.

Many who have visited here ask me why I say this. You will find that answer on the "What's New Page".

"The Day I Took My First Buck"
My first buck was taken after six years of harvesting does. I had bowhunted some during this time, yet never got a shot at any deer with the bow. I entered the woods alone this cool opening morn, with the anticipation of seeing the buck I had scouted. I went to my stand and sat, watched the squirrels play, the jaybirds frolick and does pass by within a few feet. No bucks.

I returned in the afternoon and sat quietly awaiting dusk. I heard the leaves rustling in the woods behind me and out came a nice little doe. She stepped into the field about 75 yards from my stand, looked over her shoulder back into the woods, then trotted on. Even back then, I knew with her watching her backtrail, there should be more deer approaching.

Within minutes, again rustling in the leaves brought my head in that direction. He stepped from the cover of the shadows and I knew he was mine. Yes, I was shaking like a lone leaf in a tornado, but I didn't let that stop me from taking careful aim. I claimed my first buck. He went down in the woods just over the ridge. I went and found him and sat beside him until hubby arrived to introduce me to the glamour of field dressing. ugggggh.

Fishing the Mighty Tennessee River
We love our Tenn. River. There is a place called, New Johnsville, that harbors some of the best catfishing on the entire river. It is the cove of a steam plant where the water is always warm and the fish always biting. We take our 2liter jugs and toss them out, baited up with grasshoppers, catapala worms or whatever the bait of the day is, and just watch the action. The jugs drift in the warm swirling waters and all of a sudden, POP, one will jerk and take off. We chase it down in the boat and retrieve our catch. On occassion, a jug will completely disappear beneath the surface of the water, and we know that the BiG OnE didn't get away. If you ever get the chance to fish there, do it. You won't be sorry.