Nutshell Post
Folks, this is going to be short. Or, at least as short as I can get it.
Last weekends Drill...Battle Assembly as it is now called...Nothing has fundamentally changed though...was a busy one. It managed to come off pretty good though. The kicker is, I have four guys under me. Three of them didn't pass the PT Test. This is becoming a significant source of aggravation for me. Given, there were factors involved, such as it being the first good cold snap of the year, we can do better than that. Once in a while, someone is going to have a bad day, their rhythm is off. It's beyond stats, it's standards. I have guys that need to go to schools, and that is holding them back. Once we get a boot out of the mud, we can get marching...In all reality, I just want them to be right.
Yet, all of my guys qualified on the range. That was not a great problem, I'm relatively happy with that. For the most part, my guys do make good honest effort. They volunteered, that shows something...But, I will tell you, many people in uniform are overly self important and leach off of the system...My guys just need to tighten up their shot group, which, I believe they will soon do.
I took the week off to Bear Hunt...Hog Hunt if the opportunity arrived, and had a busy, but fun week. One day I left out at 0620 and was home at 2230. The earlier part of the week was so dry, that the dogs couldn't hold scent, especially on the ridge tops. I wasn't getting the dogs out of the box. Partly because I ended up with such a large group, both Hunter and Dog wise. Thursday, they were turned loose on a cold track and it fizzled. Little wiggly Butt Walker Dog, wouldn't let anyone catch her. I had to go get her.
Friday I went over to the magical land of Coweeta Creek. It was a wash out. Saturday was a better day, after some tracks fizzling, both of my Dogs blew up on a scent shortly after noon. A group of Curs and a Bull Dog were running loose with us and they packed right on the trail with Squeaky and Wiggly. About an hour later they had what was believed to be a Hog bayed up across a ridge from where we had turned them loose. But when the boy got into there, crossing a creek and laurels, it was gone. Wiggly hid from a boy after that, and spent the night running up and down the ridge. I had looked for her for some time, tracking her, calling her, Twister walked the ridge for her. I finally got fed up, and left her. The next day Twister picked her up. She is shy, and I don't like it. A night in the Laurel Leaf Motel did her some good I hope, because, Twister got her, I didn't have to. You want to hunt Bear and Hogs, not Dogs.
That's it in a nutshell, other than a 265lbs Bear being killed Wednesday.
It's an Appalachian Thing.
The Appalachianist
Last weekends Drill...Battle Assembly as it is now called...Nothing has fundamentally changed though...was a busy one. It managed to come off pretty good though. The kicker is, I have four guys under me. Three of them didn't pass the PT Test. This is becoming a significant source of aggravation for me. Given, there were factors involved, such as it being the first good cold snap of the year, we can do better than that. Once in a while, someone is going to have a bad day, their rhythm is off. It's beyond stats, it's standards. I have guys that need to go to schools, and that is holding them back. Once we get a boot out of the mud, we can get marching...In all reality, I just want them to be right.
Yet, all of my guys qualified on the range. That was not a great problem, I'm relatively happy with that. For the most part, my guys do make good honest effort. They volunteered, that shows something...But, I will tell you, many people in uniform are overly self important and leach off of the system...My guys just need to tighten up their shot group, which, I believe they will soon do.
I took the week off to Bear Hunt...Hog Hunt if the opportunity arrived, and had a busy, but fun week. One day I left out at 0620 and was home at 2230. The earlier part of the week was so dry, that the dogs couldn't hold scent, especially on the ridge tops. I wasn't getting the dogs out of the box. Partly because I ended up with such a large group, both Hunter and Dog wise. Thursday, they were turned loose on a cold track and it fizzled. Little wiggly Butt Walker Dog, wouldn't let anyone catch her. I had to go get her.
Friday I went over to the magical land of Coweeta Creek. It was a wash out. Saturday was a better day, after some tracks fizzling, both of my Dogs blew up on a scent shortly after noon. A group of Curs and a Bull Dog were running loose with us and they packed right on the trail with Squeaky and Wiggly. About an hour later they had what was believed to be a Hog bayed up across a ridge from where we had turned them loose. But when the boy got into there, crossing a creek and laurels, it was gone. Wiggly hid from a boy after that, and spent the night running up and down the ridge. I had looked for her for some time, tracking her, calling her, Twister walked the ridge for her. I finally got fed up, and left her. The next day Twister picked her up. She is shy, and I don't like it. A night in the Laurel Leaf Motel did her some good I hope, because, Twister got her, I didn't have to. You want to hunt Bear and Hogs, not Dogs.
That's it in a nutshell, other than a 265lbs Bear being killed Wednesday.
It's an Appalachian Thing.
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Monday, October 27, 2008
14 Comments:
Congratulations on getting a bear--hunting dogs ain't fun, as mine has ran away a couple of times...
Laurel Leaf Motel. I didn't get it for a second or two, then I got it. :-)
A few weeks into it, Pvt GunTrash (33 yrs old) told me he was a bit surprised how tough the physical standards test was. He passed all the tests/standards so far, but said it was harder than he thought it'd be.
How long does it take to train a good hunting dog and to expect her to act accordingly (meaning not shy, etc)? Since I know nothing about hunting dogs - I'm a fisherwoman - maybe the better question is, what makes a good hunting dog?
Which reminds me, I need to start asking around to find the hunters in my group of acquaintances so I can get a hold of some venison at some point in the season.
Can you give your guys PT homework? So the tests don't sneak up on them ;)
I don't know how old your guys are but somewhere in your thirties, you can no longer play with PT. I passed the PT test well into my fifties, but only by going to the 1/4 mile track under the pecan trees on the parade ground and walking and running many days twice a day or I stayed in the CAC burning off 800 to a 1,00 calories. At 57 they let me walk the 2 1/2 mile . . . not to brag but I was ashamed to fail the PT. It wasn't the threat of being taken off the podium that motivated me as much as what people like you thought about me. I wasn't the greatest soldier, but it was important to accepted by the likes of the Appalachianist and others who were the real soldiers. Now after radiation and God knows what those workouts are a distant memory. Not quite a girly-man . . . get 'em motivated Sarge. Bill
It snowed this morning. I had a light dust at the house and most of the way to work it snowed and it blew snow here and there though the day. I'm 40 year old. I've not seen it do this this early this far down. It does once in a while up towards Boone, but not here. My Dad has told me of seeing snow laying in a holler off of Looking Glass Creek in early June, my Ex's Grandfather said he had seen snow in every month, but, July.
Ladies First...
Pipsqeak, that's a big question with a bigger answer. Shyness is an inherited trait in Dogs. Poor little wiggly has inherited it. I can't tell you everything to make a Hunting Dog in a single comment. The Dog has to want to Hunt, have a nose and know how to use it. It helps to be brave and be able to fight too.
About venison...AKA Deer Meat, are you trying to e a meat moocher?;)
Sage, I didn't get it, another boy did. I'd be bragging if I did, LOL.
Gunner, as you get older, it doesn't get easier, but, I see allot of younger guys not do so hot anymore. Now, I don't like leaving a dog, but, I got fed up and let her check into the Laurel Leaf Motel to teach her a lesson. I'll see if it did good. A dog needs tome to think.
Bill, I take all of that as a compliment, but, there is no reason for you to put yourself so humbly. I'm the same, I'd be ashamed to not make the grade. That pushed me on days when my head was pounding with a sinus infection. Bill, I've always thought very highly of you.
Meat moocher is a little harsh...more along the lines of meat barterer...I am perfectly willing to give something in exchange, I make a mean muffin.
In fact, I love this time of year because you can find the Pilsbury Pumpkin quickbread mix pretty easily - made some for me and my office mates on Monday - delicious stuff.
Well, that sounds like a fair deal, Pipsqeak.
Well, thank you . . . as a compliment and meant as a compliment . . . PT can get, as Squeaky and Wiggly might say, "Ruff!" The pun was intended . . . wamted to include Squeaky and Wiggly! In 1992, I belive I was at Fort Lewis in June. It snowed and snowed early that month in the southern Appalachians. I think Mount Pisgah got between 20 and 30 inches of snow in what was supposed to be an otherwise late spring or early summer month. I think I remember reading something that stated Mount Pisgah had received snow in every one of the months at some time or other. Perhaps one of the months was missed. Yesterday's snow sounds exciting as all get out . . . just to read about it. The, as you once put it so well . . . and after you had been to Iraq too, the Screen door to Hell" (Columbia) seldom gets even a dusting of snow. Bill
Bill, it was May of 92. It was just cold rain down in the valley.
In July it was in the 40's a few times here at my house at 2800 feet.
My favorite picture still is the one of your boot and the bear paw print in the mud.
Also, I thought of you not long ago. I let Hooch outside and there was a squirrel in the backyard and for once, he didn't bother to go after it. He got really still and the hair went up along his spine and that was it. I told him that A.I. would be quite disappointed with him. :-)
By the way, I just sent you an email to 'toolkitmail' but it bounced back. What's your email address?
Murf, that sounds like Bosco, if there is a rabbit in the yard, she just looks at it, but if it's in the drive way, it better get gone.
She was in last night and about 0300 she noticed something in the yard, I don't know how, all of the blinds were closed, unless the others were barking and I didn't hear it. I caught a streak of it running out of the yard. The puppy sleeps with Squeaky so I wasn't too worried about a Coyote getting her.
No, my ISP cut out the "TOOLKIT" service. danconwil@citcom.net is the real address.
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