Yesterday afternoon we had our annual muzzleload deer hunt planning meeting.  That is a sure sign Fall is here and the hunting season is about to begin.  As will all our planning meetings comes the “who is going when”, “who is sleeping in who’s camper or trailer”, “what meals do we want to prepare”  etc. etc.  Last night was no different.  I got to thinking afterward why don’t we just draft up the usual and save it from year to year?  Then there would only have to be minor changes made and we would be done.  Actually we wouldn’t even have to have a meeting, we could do that via email.

NAH!  That would take a very important aspect out of the years hunt!  We have to have a meeting and discuss all of these important things.  Besides we need an excuse to drink a few beers and tell stories about past hunts and of course the heckling begins for this seasons hunt just like it did yesterday.

A few years back I purchased a “squawking magpie” to use as a predator calling devise.  It raises quite a noise and then it shuts off for a few seconds and then begins again.  It is obnoxious to say the least and once you have heard all of the calls it makes, you have generally had enough of it.  But for predators it is supposed to work really well, calling in especially coyotes because they think the magpie has found a fresh kill and in they come to investigate.  Well, I have not used it for that purpose yet.  Instead, I have taken it to the hunting camp and use it as a “Wake up everybody!  It’s time to go hunting”! alarm.  I will get up by my alarm clock and then quietly slip out into the middle of camp and place the little squawker out and turn it on.  There is plenty of time for me to slip back into my trailer before the noise begins.  On about round two of the noises, you begin to see other trailer lights coming on…it works really good!  When I feel it is time for it to be brought into “safety”, I will go out and pick it up and walk around camp making sure every trailer and tent gets an up close and personal listen to it.

Well, yesterdays meeting is calling for an historic event to take place at this years hunt.  Our friend Magpie is going to camp in my trailer, with Dry Dog, Weasel and myself.  Magpie has NEVER stayed in my trailer and it will be a pleasure indeed to have him as a guest.  But, someone commented about the wake up calling bird and Magpie himself said (with demonstration I might add) that when you see Bears Butt walking around camp in the morning like this…….with a plastic magpie tail sticking out of his backside, you know where that bird got put!

Well, I cannot have such as that and I will do something about it.

Another historic event will take place this year as well…Bears Butt is going to ride in the Magpie Express, his newest hunting rig he calls “The Blue Goose”.  This will be the first time EVER that Bears Butt has ridden with Magpie on a hunting expedition and I look very much forward to that day.  Bring lots of tootsie rolls and jerky!

We are expecting a very large gathering at our camp and our good friends Gunner and Gattlin are preparing a wonderful Jambalaya meal for us all on Tuesday evening!  Bring it on guys!  Can I help cut up the trifecta?  Just a reminder guys…Magpie hates shrimp…but says make it any way you want he will still eat it.

Additionally, a man I have only met once to my recall, Mario, is going to have prepared for us a large batch of pork and hominy.  A meal he calls Pozole.  There is never any left after we are done eating.

Thanks Mario, Gunner and Gattlin!  We love your meals!

I, for one, am really looking forward to the camp and the hunt.  If anyone bags a deer that will be a bonus.  This begins and ends my year and I’m excited!

Bears Butt

Sept. 2011