the dissident frogman

16 years and 4 months ago

Muddy boots inside

the dissident frogman

Necrothreading much?

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Big sky; Day 3

You know you've made it back to Civilization when the people around look at you as if you needed a shave, a bath and a change of clothes, and you realize they're right.

Day one: freezing cold, big bright blue sky.

Saw three roe deer, two of them through the goggles far in the open plain, one doe crossing just a few meters away. One snipe (that was lucky) took off in front of me, and two monster boars over the goggles, running away like wild dogs. I know they're considered as mere pests (and rightly so) but what fantastic animals they truly are. Small wonder generations of hunters here have been as fascinated by these extremely clever and cunning black beasts as I am (insert your favorite Asterix the Gaul joke here).

Shot and killed one young boar. Reflected how still very happy with my Sig rifle / Aimpoint red dot combination I am.

Cursed myself multiple times for leaving the camera at camp.



Day two, officially small game: drop the rifle, grab the shotgun. The weather quickly turned into storm: strong and fast winds coupled with constant rain ranging from light to heavy.

Saw 11 pheasants, shot five, brought three down. Saw five partridges, shot and bagged one. Was taken totally by surprise by one huge hare who earned my respect and its right to make it out unhurt (insert your favorite Elmer Fudd joke here). Frantically removed the #6 pellets and loaded the shotgun with sabot slugs at the first cries of "À la houe!", when the dogs stumbled upon a company of wild boars in a small pine wood. Shot at one fast fleeing hog under a pissing rain, and missed. Laughed wholeheartedly as I heard the runner successively shot by the guys on my left, but still making it to safety in the impenetrable brambles of a thick wood down below; One miracle pig, if there ever was any.

Came back under the Deluge with a big grin, and mentally thanking Barbour of England for the wax jacket, and my Mom and Dad for the buffalo trousers birthday present(1).

Blessed myself multiple times for leaving the (non tropicalized) camera at camp.



Day three began gloomy and overcast but turned fair with generous bits of blue and profuse puffy clouds. Spotted a couple of deer in the distance, and that was it, save from a curiously investigative buzzard.

Dusk and a razing sun behind the hills provided the burning clouds on the way back to camp.

Didn't forget the camera, hence the three pictures published herein.

Made it back to the World of Men, Women and Lefties, and had the opportunity to lecture a silly anti-hunting, pseudo Nature-caring, Al Gore fantasy-motion-picture multiple viewing young woman and her husband who, despite holding a position as teachers in the Great National Education Monopoly (Keepers of Knowledge as they see themselves) in a small French town were puzzled to learn from this gun totin', snail snappin' redneck that, no, the (adult) European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) is not the fawn of the European red deer (Cervus elaphus) and that they are, indeed, different species(2).

Wondered what else they might ignore or confuse the same. Pitied the kids supposed to learn from these people.
  1. Thus unknowingly reviving the David Crockett fantasies of my childhood.
  2. "Oh but they look a bit the same, only just smaller, so that's why I thought..." Sometimes, the Friends of Earth just make bashing too easy.

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the dissident frogman

I own, built and run this place. In a previous life I was not French but sadly, I died.

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To reveal my email address, find the 5th  number in the code and enter it in the challenge field below.

75822

The Wise knows that Cities are but demonic Soul-tearing pits that shall not be entered.

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Comments thread (6)

3082 - 2hotel9

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  • 2hotel9 Western Pennsylvania

Most excellent pics! And glad somebody killed something recently, I took 3 shots at a buck passing my front at a full run, at around 175m. No joy. We have a substantial snow down now, going back out tomorrow and give it another go. I did help drag and skin 2 deer, a 180 pound 10 point buck and a 170 pound doe. The rack was not a thing of beauty, it was atypical and formed off center. Got some pics and the card crapped out and lost them. Got to get a new one this afternoon.

3083 - Iwo Gina

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  • Iwo Gina Maryland

Your photos are exquisite! When I viewed them, they produced an audible sigh of such emotional intensity that I scared my office mate. I hope you will post more of them whenever you can!

Iwo Gina

3084 - floridasuzie

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  • floridasuzie Florida

Glad you enjoyed your hunting trip! I very much enjoyed reading your journal notes and the photos are beautiful. I appreciate you giving all of us frog-fans a little peek into your interesting life in France. Not that I admire France or consider the majority of the French people interesting, but oh well, you know what I mean.

Frog said: > "You know you've made it back to Civilization when the people around look at you as if you needed a shave, a bath and a change of clothes, and you realize they're right." <

I've always found the macho-wilderness-John the Baptist/Grizzly Adams-look quite charming - but admittedly downwind and from afar, heh.

3100 - songdongnigh

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  • songdongnigh West B'God Virginia, USA

Too bad you didn't bag a 400 lb, 10 point buck, but a bad day hunting or fishing is better than a good day at work.

3173 - Sophie

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Absolutely gorgeous photos. Shoot sky, not deer.

3186 - 2hotel9

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  • 2hotel9 Western Pennsylvania

And this one popped up again, not that I mind, just wondering if I need to fix something on my end.