TIS THE SEASON

     Once again it's hunting season. Normally my favorite time of the year. This is the time of the year I live for. The days grow shorter, the air gets a cooler bite to it, and the leaves begin to change color and migrate to the forest floor.

     But this year is different. As I stated in a earlier post, everything is different this year. I lost my Dad a few months ago and my heart just isn't into it for some reason. I go. I still want to kill food for the table, and a trophy for the wall, but it's different.

     I've seen a lot of deer this year, but not as many as last year. I've killed a few animals so far, one of my freezers is almost full. But it's not the same.

     I got a nice 170lb , 8 pointer . He had a tall rack with tall eye guards, and his tips almost touch. But it's not the same any more.

     I've taken a few good meat hogs for the table, and a nice 220lb boar with decent cutters , but I feel like I'm walking through zombie land. I'm just there, just going through the motions, not really into it just robotically killing time because that's what I'm supposed to do.

     I still love hunting, I live to be in the woods, to take game and butcher it and feed my family for the coming year. It's just not the same anymore. I guess I'm still a kid at heart wanting to come home after the hunt and share my hunt with my Dad. The one who taught me to love this way of life, to be  what I grew up to be . A hunter.

     Maybe as they say, time heals all wounds. Maybe not. Time will tell. I will never forget my Dad or the lessons he taught me. Every time I step into the woods, a farm field , or a boat I know he will be with me. He gave me these passions, I love them, and they are me.

     I miss you Dad.


Jim Cobb Coleman.

MORNING RUSH

     It's a dreary day here in Bullfrog Bottom. We've had a slight drizzle going on for a few days now. The fog is hanging low like a scene from an old time horror movie. I eased down into the back 40 to check my game camera for sign of deer crossing through my property.

     It is very muggy out, hard to believe it's December. Nothing is moving out but a few squirrels who jump from tree to tree overhead as I ease through the bottom, drenching me with raindrops . After retrieving my camera I headed back to the house to see what I have on camera and get another cup of coffee. A group of does are easing through during the middle of the day eating the last of my white oak acorns from my trees.

     First dry day I have time I'll try to go sit in the stand and see what happens. In a few hours I am going to take my Mother to her Dr's appointment. Tonight we will work on decorating for Christmas some more , hopefully we'll get through by this weekend.

HARD ROW TO HOE

     I haven't posted in a long time. Life is complicated. Sometimes things happen and you get busy and time slips away. Well, no more apologies, or excuses, it is what it is.

     I lost my Dad on August 14 of this year. After that life has been a blur. The day before was my Wife and I's 25th wedding anniversary. I was headed to my EMT-Basic class when I got the call my Dad had fell out. My Mom was frantic. She was so upset she couldn't dial 911. She grabbed the cell phone with my programmed number in it to call me for help.

     I called 911, then my wife, then my teacher and then headed to Mom & Dad's. The ambulance was already there. When I entered the house Mom was going crazy upset about Dad. I tried to calm her down, then I looked to Dad. The Paramedics and firemen were already there when I arrived and they were performing CPR on Dad. One of the Paramedics knew me from when I road clinicals on the ambulance he put me to work. He asked me to put tools in the jump bag, they asked me to help get Dad on the backboard, and clear a path out of the house. Once on the street at the ambulance he asked me to hold a tube they had drilled into Dad's leg so he could tape it down. Then he turned and asked me what I was doing there, I said " man that's my Dad ". He told me man I'm sorry I just thought you were here and stopped to help.

     I told him I understood just do what you need to do. I looked over at the heart monitor it was flat lined. They took off to the hospital. Those guys worked their butts off on my Dad all the way. The rest of the day & night ambulance staff kept checking in on us in the ER as they made deliveries. It meant a lot!

     Dad stayed in Trauma 1 unit of the ER until the next afternoon. We were there all night and day. A Dr. sent Dad for a neurological test and when he came back they told us Dad was already brain dead the machine was all that was keeping him alive. The Dr. said he had already called time of death. A short time later they disconnected the machine and Dad was gone. I was kneeling at his bed side holding his hand when he passed. He was wore out and he couldn't fight anymore.

     I miss him more everyday.

     Time since then has flown by. The hectic funeral arrangements, trying to help my Mother with all the financial, legal, and medical business after a death takes time. It's Dec. now and they still haven't got his permanent gravestone down yet.

     Mom is trying to cope with living alone, but it's a big adjustment after 53 years of living with someone to be alone everyday. I'm over as much as possible and try to be available when ever Mom has an appointment but she's still lonely.

     This is hunting season . The time of year I live for, but it's not the same anymore. I can't go into the woods without thinking of Dad. I've killed some deer & hogs but it's not right. I'm not enjoying myself. I've missed more deer this year than I've ever in my life and something inside doesn't really care. I always went and showed my deer to my Dad, but this year when I got my big 8 ptr there was no one I could talk to who would understand what it meant to me.

     I finished my EMT-Basic classed and passed with a 88.3 average. I then went to take the National Registry Exam so I can be an EMT and failed it.I don't know what happened, there was things on the test I had never heard of. Something inside felt really hurt that I didn't do better. Something inside me didn't really care. I can retake the test, but what can I do to make the outcome different.

     Deer season is almost over, Halloween, & Thanksgiving came and went , and soon Christmas will be here but it's all just another day.

   Jim Cobb Coleman

Lazarus Time

     Hello! I'm truly sorry to have not posted anything in such a long time, but life happens. Sometimes it's hard to do things when your financially, and timely handicapped. The world, and more importantly my world has been constantly changing and in the shuffle.

     As I have stated in earlier posts, I'm an addict (family,hunting, fishing, farming) who hopes to never recover as long as I live. I unfortunately lost total track of time during the later part of deer season , Christmas holidays, and early Spring. My writing suffered. I truly missed it.

     My Dad's health has been complicated as well. Most times he is as normal as can be expected. At others he gets sicker, which requires more attention and takes a greater toll on my Mother , who is his primary caregiver. Both of my parents are in their 70's, and refuse to admit they are not still 17 and totally healthy. Every time I try to help I hear that I am too busy at my own house and they can handle everything. Just the other day, Less than a week from my Dad being released from his last stay in the hospital for another round of pneumonia, I arrived at their home to find my Dad outside, checking the oil on the lawn mower, so my 74 year old Mother could cut the grass!

     Another issue I have had was access to a computer. I had a laptop, but one of my sons needed it more than I did, so I gave him mine. Funny but when I needed to use it , it was not available most of the time. By the time I remembered to go back and use it , it was not available again. And time marched on. I could make a lot of flimsy excuses, but life just took over and time marched on.

     Now hopefully things have changed. Financially things are more stable and looking up! I have been getting up some supplies necessary for what I need to do. I have acquired my own laptop again, and a new smart phone, now if I can just learn to use them!

     I am in the process of changing careers once again. I have begun taking a 6 month class to become an EMT. The idea of learning about health, and information that could help us with my Father, and others later on , sounds good to me. I have never really enjoyed my work. I think I would like being able to help others. So far I already see I will be doing a lot of studying!!

     So, if anyone's out there listening, life still goes on here in Bullfrog Bottom. The season are a changing, and life goes on. Soon I will be in my garden sweating away for the table. It's time to go start  harvesting my firewood for next fall and winter. Fish are calling to me to be caught and invited to supper. Preseason deer hunting preparations need to be made . Livestock issues, and land development is also on our plate for the upcoming year.

     Please stay with us! Tell your friends. It will be a fun ride!

Jim Cobb Coleman


    

    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

   Today my oldest son turned another year older. He is 22 now. It seems like just the other day we brought him home from the hospital. All new and tiny and sweet baby smelling. Now he's big as I am and rough and hairy and grown.

   Funny thing is I still feel like I'm 22, instead of the real 48 years I have on me. The time sure flies by. I remember only yesterday I was the one hurring home from work and racing to clean up, change clothes, and hurry out the door on a semi-all night date. Now I'm the one waiting up to make sure he gets home safely.

   I don't mind being at home with my wife and baby boy on weekends, when I'm not hunting, while my older son is out on the town. But what is strange is both of the boys seem to be out growing us. I'm sure this is nothing new. I must have done the same thing when I was that age. But back then I still wanted to do things with my Dad & Mom. My boys hardly stay around us, and when they're home they stay in their rooms, only coming out for meals and restroom breaks.

    I guess this must be what my parents felt like when I started growing up, must be what all parents go through. Time sure goes by quickly.Things happen that can keep you from being able to do everything you would like to do with your kids. Hopefully as they grow up they will understand that you tried to do everything right when they were little.

   All you can do is try to teach them and love them, then back off and hope for the best. Maybe one day they will need you as much as you love them.

Happy Birthday buddy.

Love Mom and Dad.

J.C. Coleman

IT'S BEEN A GOOD HUNTING SEASON!!!

   It's been a great Fall hunting season! This is my favorite time of the year and this season has been very productive. I got lucky and I already have 2 wild hogs and 5 deer. Thanks to a little hard butchering work I have around 800lbs of meat in my freezers and we still have over 2 months left to hunt !

   I also brought out my largest buck this year. A 170lb 9 point buck. He had a 17 & 1/4 inch inside spread. He definitely is going on my wall. I already put his head in the taxidermy shop.Earlier in the season I also got a nice 7 pointer. He was a younger deer but still anice buck and will sure be tasty.

   I hunt in two states and belong to a hunting club. I also hunt public land, and private farms. This allows me to have a chance at several deer to try and fill my freezer so I can feed my family. When I butcher my deer I make hamburger, sausage, jerky, cube steak, & butterfly steaks.A little elbow grease and my freezer gets full.

   The hogs ain't bad either!!!

Jim Cobb Coleman.

ME & GENE AUTRY, BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

   Saturday was opening day of muzzle loading season for deer. It was great to be back in the woods with my old smoke pole. I built a 50 caliber Hawken from a kit several years ago. I carved out the stock, and made all the parts fit. I drew a deer's head on one side of the butt stock and a jumping bass on the other side. I added a few turkey tracks and put my name on the stock.  I named the gun " Old Iron" and I burned all of this into the stock and stained it. Not a bad job even if I did do it.

   It's fun to try and go back in time and live, even if only for a little while like our ancestors did. I grew up reading about Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett now I can hunt like they did. Well sort of. They didn't have a portable deer stand to climb up a tree with, or a 4x4 four wheeler to haul them deep into the back woods.

   Saturday and Sunday found me in the woods way before daylight trying to get the drop on an unsuspecting deer suitable for my table. You see I love to hunt, but I feel like the mountain men of yesteryear when I go afield. I want the adventure, and a trophy. but I'm primarily trying to put aside enough meat to feed my family through the coming year. This is the only time I can do this, so it's also very serious business. Also I need to obey the game laws and try to trophy manage our deer herd as our hunting club wants us to do. That's alot to think about as a deer is walking or running by you in 3 to 10 seconds time.

   I saw a bunch of hogs and a few deer Saturday but I either couldn't get a shot or they were too little to shoot. On Sunday morning a nice 100 lb. doe walked up the ridge I was sitting on and offered me a good shot. My old 50 caliber barked loud and down she went. I loaded her up on the 4 wheeler and headed back to camp. My old 4 wheeler filled in for the pack mules of yesteryear the mountain men had. I was loaded down pretty good. Me, a 100 lb. deer, my deer stand, hunting gear and gun quite a load for a 24 year old bike to haul. It did a great job! We all got out fine.

   Today the real work of hunting begins. Yesterday I had to drag the deer out of the woods and put it on the 4 wheeler, take it to camp, skin and gut it. Today I must begin the process of butchering all the meat. In the next couple of days my little doe will become sliced tenderloins to wrap aroung jalipenos with bacon strips, butterflyed steaks, hamburger meat, cubed steaks, sausage, and deer jerky. Quite a lot from just one deer. We get the meat and the dogs get to gnaw the bones. Nothing is wasted.

   Soon I get to feast on the healthiest meat God ever made. Venison! Hopefully this will be the first of many deer this year. We need several to feed us till next year . If I can get lucky and get a few wild hogs as well, I believe we will have enough till next hunting season comes around again.

GOOD HUNTING.

Jim Cobb Coleman.