"Snaky?"
Guys,
Wanted to bring to your attention an incident that took place last fall down here in the North Florida deer woods.
As you are aware, I get many requests each deer season to take folks hunting. I do not consider myself a "guide", but I grew up in these woods and I reckon thru word of mouth, folks tell folks who tell folks to call TDWW and plan a hunting trip in the North Florida deer woods. Beautiful landscape, pristine woods, and world class bucks.
To be honest, I enjoy any opportunity to be in the woods, specifically with Yankees as they typically are not very familiar with the "ways of the wild" and I see it as my part to teach them and help them. Much like raising a child - seeing them crawl, then stumble, then eventually walk (be it a slow, somewhat handicapped walk)is a rewarding experience for TDWW. So, if I am able, I answer their call and take them out in the woods in pursuit of a world class North Florida whitetail. Glad to do it.
Last December, it got a little warmer down here than usual. Now, we do not get too cold down here, but usually chilly mornings followed by pleasant afternoons. However on this particular week, it was warm all day long. And, obviously down here in the deep south we have critters. Things that crawl, things that fly, things that creep around on the ground. Its not a biggie, but it is part of life down here.
I was taking this fellow around. Guy from New Jersey. Mid 40's. His accent was barely understandable.Fat, too. We were leaving the stand mid morning to do some stalking down twix the creek and the pines. Perfect walking conditions. Came up on a swamp....as I quietly began to work my way through the water and mud puss, I turned around only to see this Yankee standing there on the edge of the swamp where I was 10 min ago. I spoke to him with my eyes and said something akin to "it aint nothing for me to up and kick a Yankee's ass" and he looked like aSyracuse University student all hopped upon speed about to take a year end final. Nervous. Fidgety. Cause for concern.
I waded my way back to this fat Yankeeand flat out got to the bottom of it. As you know, I am NOT going to use my strength and agility (trained withHerschel Walker for years)for personal gain, however there are times when 16 inch guns can be used as a "tool." Well, the guy is fumbling around, shifting wait from foot to foot and finally says.........."It looks kinda 'snaky' out in that swamp."
"Snaky?" Now I am not sure what color panties you Yankees wear day in and day out, but in comparison, down here most of the time we only wear undergarments for Sunday morning preaching. Tighty whities only. There is no room for this *****footing arounddown here in the deep South. We are not going to tolerate it. Up there, you may hop, skip and jump in the woods to avoid cutting your foot on glass chunks left behind by the the landowner whose property you are on (tresspassing), but down here we deal with real life danger from real life critters.
"Snaky?" I come face to face withold salty tooth about every week or two down here in the summer woods while crawling thru underbrush, fighting off briars and flicking ticks all in an effort to age summer deer on the hoof. You ever stare down a cottonmouth's throat? Part of life for us and you Yankees come down here afraid to wade through a swamp in December becasue it looks "kinda snaky?"
It never ceases to amaze me the difference in our ways of life.Lace on their drawers. Sleep in socks. Use lotion on their hands. Pay to have their yard cut.
Would go on further, but have to get outside and bush hog the roadbeds. Planted summer deer plots last week. Bucks growing horns down here. Fawns dropping. A few hot summer months (but nothing we Southerners cannot handle) and then fall. Glorious.
I hope each of you are doing well and that you are able to get out on a farm pond or in the woods with close family and friends this weekend. TDWW