Tag Archives: North West trade gun

Two Unexpected Arrivals

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

Morning dawned without a sunrise; night succumbed to a hazy, dull gray. In due time, a roosted wild turkey, treed to the north, uttered a hushed putt. Another bird, perched high in a leafless red oak across the narrows, whispered … Continue reading →

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“An unfortunate soul died…”

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

A roosted hen turkey fidgeted overhead. A starry night sky, grayed by a full moon that hung 3 o’clock high over the western horizon, backlit the bird’s sleek black shape. Bony legs stepped sideways. Skeleton-like toes flexed as they gripped … Continue reading →

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An Unmistakable Badge

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

A fine buck’s fresh blood stained the leggin’s top. Dark burgundy-colored spots, flung in a tussle with a young tom turkey a few days earlier, dotted the front of my linen hunting shirt. Reddish-brown blotches marked the shirt’s dirty hem-fringe. … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 Coyotes Taught a Valuable Lesson

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Dennis Neely: Traditional Woodsman

Cortland apples browned beside sizzling venison steaks. Not long before, dusk’s long shadows had succumbed to night’s darkness. A stick held a chunk of meat firm to the kettle’s bottom while the butcher knife sliced. The smell of the evening’s … Continue reading →

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