Life is tough!
One friend has asked me to go to Arkansas to partake of their first class waterfowling over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.
Another asked me to go deer hunting (actually I asked to go with him... but for the sake of argument).
And still another friend asked me to head for the river in search of sauger.
Like I said... life is tough.
I buy waterfowl licenses for two states already -- Alabama and Tennessee.
One kid is in private school, another in college. Christmas is around the corner. The payment book on my truck is far thicker than I'd like. And my friend Bill Bennett, the Hamilton County Tax Assessor wants his property taxes.
But heck, a hunting license for a third state would just be a few more dollars for conservation. Right?
Like I said, life is tough.
Deer hunting is going to be painful this Thanksgiving. It gets fearsome cold in a tree when the thermometer does backflips. But the sunrises are a sight to behold.
Thousands of you see the sunrise as you're screaming down Amnicola Highway on your way to work. But trust me, the orange glow looks different when it's the only thing to think about, other than the steady crunch of hooves on frosty leaves. And when the morning sun reveals the gleam of antler in the distance, you'll forget the Amnicola traffic, the work, and the cold real quickly. You only have to figure out how to get to your gun without him spooking. And even if there are no antlers, we've got either-sex permits. And you know how much I love those Trophy Does.
Yes, life is tough.
Of course, it would be just as cold in a boat jigging for sauger. But the sauger don't seem to mind so much as deer when I stomp my feet and clap my hands. There's plenty of frustration dealing with the state's hefty 15-inch size limit, but just a couple of keeper sauger will make a tasty meal on a winter's eve.
Oh the choices. Life is tough.
An Arkansas duck hunt, a Volunteer State deer, or Tennessee River sauger. Such decisions! I'll tell you what I decide next week.
Add to that a Thanksgiving Day deciding on white meat or dark... more sweet potatoes or more dressing... pumpkin pie or pecan? All the while I'll be surrounded by a loving family who tolerates -- no, encourages my outdoor cravings.
I only wish everyone in the world could have it so tough as me. Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair.
I pray your Thanksgiving is as blessed as mine is.