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Confession of a Hunter – A Twenty Dollar Cottonmouth
By Andy Anderson
As a teenager, in my high school years, I hunted and fished all the time. I had a good friend and hunting buddy that we did everything together: fishing, hunting, rodeos and working odd jobs for a little pocket money. Jake and I were always up to something, especially when it came to hunting and fishing.
In our junior year of high school, Jake and I had shop class together. Shop class was the best. We got to build all kinds of things for our hunting adventures. We also got out of school early under the work program. We both had about an hour or so before we had to be at our jobs, so we would usually grab some lunch from the one stop and head down to River Bridge, a small one lane road that crossed the Trinity River. It was an old bridge, long since replaced, but during the time Jake I would frequent the river, it was an old bridge that groaned as cars passed over and was painted with various types of graffiti. We always had our fishing poles in the back of our pick-ups, and we would soon find ourselves sitting on the river bank near the old bridge, with a line in the water while enjoying a burger and coke.
This particular spot had a large oak tree that had fallen from the river bank some years back. It was partially submerged and had a large limb that extended out of the water to reaching out to about the middle of the river as it curved back down to the water, like a big finger pointing to a particular spot. The old tree was black from years of exposure to the elements, yet the wood was hard and very dense, providing a good platform to fish from.
One particular spring day, Jake and I arrive to our favorite spot only to find an extremely large cotton-mouth lying up on that old tree sun bathing. He had to be four and half to five feet in length and as big around as a Louisville slugger baseball bat. Had a head on him like a pit bull, just mean looking and not worried about anything. You could tell he was used to having his way on the river.
To read more pick up a copy of the June 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Heather Lloyd
Vaccinations are a critical component of maintaining the health and well-being of horses, especially in environments where they are exposed to other animals, such as in the sport, show and performance arenas. Horses, like all animals, are susceptible to various infectious diseases that can spread quickly and cause serious harm.
A routine vaccination schedule helps prevent the spread of these diseases by preparing the horse’s immune system.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Having herds on a controlled breeding schedule means that we have a predictable calving schedule, and while it’s only over a couple of months, for us it does fall right after the start of the year. I lobby annually to call ours the “Winter calving season”, but I am outvoted and my husband still refers to it as Spring. Unlike producers in our Northern States, we don’t have to contend with brutally harsh winter weather, and on those rare times we do, thankfully it is not for extended periods. Regardless of whether you have a Spring or a Fall calving schedule, the health of a newborn calf begins with the mother’s health, and the mother’s health is largely dependent on the producer.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Join us for the Lone Star Open (LSO) Auctioneer Championship, set to take place on Sunday, February 2, alongside the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo (FWSSR).
This exciting event will feature a $20,000 prize for the grand champion auctioneer, as well as insightful presentations on the auction method of marketing and the dynamic auctioneering profession.
To read more, pick up a copy of the January edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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