Category Archives: Stories

Returning with but little meat…

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Fall slipped away. Three days of intermittent rain and brisk gusts stripped all but the white oaks of their leaves. Overnight the wind subsided, somewhat. An hour after first light, lacy white clouds drifted west, pushed by a chilly northeast … Continue reading →

Posted in Living History, Squirrel Hunts, Turkey Hunts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Wild Turkey is Worth a Dozen Squirrels

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Silence echoed in the glade. My moccasins crept along the ridge’s west slope, downhill enough to avoid detection from the east. The air smelled moist. A butterfly breeze jostled leaves, but not enough to raise even a telltale whisper. Dark … Continue reading →

Posted in Persona, Research, Squirrel Hunts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Search for Lost Companions

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

“Friday 24th [February, 1804]…I am very Uneasy about [Joseph] Boisvert and [Jean] Connor. It is now nineteen Days since they left for the fond du Lac, expecting that it would take Twelve Days To make The trip. They carried one … Continue reading →

Posted in Living History, Scenarios, Scouts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Answer is Not Simple

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

A fallen red oak blocked the trail. Spring’s broad, lush leaves hung curled, brown and brittle. After stepping over the trunk, worn-out elk moccasins continued through the shadows. Blue jays screamed high atop a far hill, but not for me. … Continue reading →

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The 21st-Century’s Exacting Toll

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

White-flowered Queen Anne’s lace dotted the prairie. Dew clung to hundreds of spider webs. A misty, boiling fog shrouded the near tree line as morning’s long shadows blanketed the small grassy opening. The August air smelled cool and damp, yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Living History, Scenarios, Scouts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Content in My Invisibility

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Raindrops plopped on canoe shaped leaves, yellowish and faded. As the droplets struck, small dust clouds arose from old hoof prints on an earthen doe trail. Hook-shaped turkey leavings, dry, hard and brittle, rested here and there along the path. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bear Hunt, Research, Worth thinking about... | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cavorting About the Section Oak

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Life’s burdens weighed heavy. Snowy flecks drifted to and fro from soft, gray clouds. Through the window’s frosty pane, a distant oak, bare of fall’s splendor, offered a brief respite. Resistance proved futile, and after a flurry of haphazard dressing … Continue reading →

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The Meadow Fawn

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Deer flies swarmed about. A dead cedar branch clawed at a hunt-stained buckskin leggin, then swished the air in its vain attempt to belay an interloper. Silvery dew drops splattered linen sleeves as elk moccasins stalked uphill in that morning’s … Continue reading →

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