Hello again folks. Hope this month’s column finds all of you doing well and having fun in the woods. This month has been a great month for the FTDA and I’d like to start with a very warm welcome for our newest members: Ron Snider, Byron Overstreet, Bobby Davenport, Jeffrey Adams and Heath Hannar. We are still a relatively new club and proud to see our membership growing.
There have been discussions on several Internet message boards lately regarding dogs “trashing” on animals other than the intended game. Here in Florida I’m sure you’re aware of the deer, hogs, possums, armadillos, bears, bobcats, skunks, rabbits, foxes, and coyotes. But, we also have another.
Several weeks ago, after a night of good races, a good friend of ours decided to try a new parcel of land he’d recently received permission to hunt. After only a few minutes, the dogs struck and were working well when suddenly they quit trailing and commenced to fight. Not understanding the commotion, he headed into them at a full run to break things up. He got only about halfway in when the fighting stopped and the dogs were working the trail again, and seemed to be working together well, as if nothing had happened. He stood there puzzled for a moment, only to hear the fighting start again. And again, as he headed into them, the fighting stopped and the dogs were back on the track. The happened several times, until the dogs were almost out of hearing. Not wanting them to get out of pocket, he headed back to his truck to drive around to them.
After finding a road that would lead him closer to the action, he heard the commotion again. Only this time, there was no more trailing after the fight ended ~ the dogs immediately came up treed. Thinking the 12-month-old pup he was running had been the instigator in all of the previous fighting; he headed into the tree rather quickly. But when he got there he found no ill dogs, no growling, and no face barking. Other than a few small scratches, there was no evidence to support anything he’d heard. Still puzzled by the situation, he shined the tree to find more than one set of eyes staring down at him. Actually, he counted 10 sets of eyes. These dogs had trailed, fought, and eventually treed an entire troop of Rhesus Monkeys!!!
I’ve heard about wild moneys here in our area since I was a child. There are rumors that they somehow escaped from the set of the movie "Tarzan" which was filmed just up the river from us at Silver Springs. In reality, the monkeys arrived before actor Johnny Weissmuller ever swung through those vines. Colonel Tooey imported the Rhesus monkey in 1938 to inhabit an island he dredged along his Jungle Cruise boat ride down the Silver River. Unfortunately, the good colonel didn't know the Rhesus could swim and Florida is now the only state in America with a wild monkey population. There was a movement to remove the breeding troops in 1993, but more than 25,000 local residents protested it. Most of the monkeys have since been relocated, but there are still occasional sightings of the Rhesus in areas around Silver Springs and the Ocala National Forest.
The first two photos this month are of Blake Batson and his new feist, Rooster. I’d like to take a moment to tell you a little about Blake and the challenge this young man is facing. At only 8 years old, Blake has just recently begun treatments to fight Leukemia. He has 108 weeks of hospital and doctor visits already scheduled!! What an awesome task for this young fellow and his family. His father, Aaron, works a standard job like most of us and also works as a fishing guide. Blake also has a beautiful 5-year-old sister.
Many of you have shown a desire to help the Batson family, showing what we already know about hunters as a group. We care deeply for our fellow man and are more than willing to help those who will help themselves. Our thanks go out to Mr. Harold Butler for graciously donating the puppy and to Mr. Edward Moxley for making it all happen. These two men have made one very happy little boy by making his wish of owning a feist come true. There are many others on the Woody’s Taxidermy forum who have contributed to the Batson family ~ many who have never even met Blake. I know you will be rewarded for the kindness you have shown this family.
According to Aaron, Blake already wants to shoot a squirrel for the hide, as he wants to start training now. Aaron has persuaded him to wait until the pup gets a bit bigger, and squirrel season is in too. Several have pitched in and sent Blake a Petsmart gift card ~ He had to settle for collars, leashes and toys since they didn’t have a trap for him to catch live squirrels. *Smile*
It doesn't take much of an imagination to realize the financial burden this situation will put on the family. Aaron will miss work; Blake may require private tutors; the family may need to stay in hotels frequently during the extended treatments at the hospital; the list seems endless.
With that in mind, we are proud to announce the "Hunters for Blake Assistance Fund". Donations may be made at any branch of First Union Bank, nationwide! Simply tell the teller you wish to contribute to "Hunters for Blake Assistance Fund". (Checking Account Number 1010062607799). Remember, this is no short time situation. This young man will be fighting this fight for 2 years! So pitch in when you can.
Contributions can also be mailed to: Hunters for Blake 2275 Matthew Court Monroe, GA 30655 ~ Blake and his family have a long row to hoe and there will some hard times ahead. Every little bit of help we can give them will be that much less they will have to worry about.
Our other picture this month is Mark Savage of Umatilla, Florida along with two of his Blueticks, Bullet and Bama. We’ve finally had the pleasure of turning loose with Mark and Bullet, and that dog is everything Mark says he is. Terry and Mark have a friendly “breed bashing” every time they get together but it is all in fun. A coondog is a coondog, no matter what color he is, and ol’ Bullet never has a hard time finding a coon. He also has another nice Blue dog, Buckshot. Bama’s still young, but is coming along real well ~ She got in on a tree last week and looked real good with the boys.
I think that about wraps up the news for this month. If you get a chance, stop by our Website and say Hello. We’ve recently made some changes to the Message Board and added a Chat Room. Also, we are continually adding photos and articles (the latest titled “Training Real Winners” by Bill Morris). I hope you are enjoying your time in the woods and taking a youngster along with you. “We did not inherit the land from our fathers, we are only borrowing it from our children”. Until next time…
