Posts by Duncan Dobie
Come November: Seize The Day
It was opening day of rifle season, and our family celebrated by pigging out on some scrumpdillyicious pork and ribs at Sprayberry’s Barbecue in Newnan. Once we were all sitting down together, my three brothers praised Charlie for what she had done. “Baby sister, we’re all mighty proud of you for the way you handled…
Read MoreCome November: Charlie’s Fabulous Opening Day
It took Dace a good 30 minutes to field-dress Charlie’s doe. She made him go slow because she wanted it done right. We had walked out to the edge of the soybean field and around to one side where we found the doe piled up about 20 yards inside the woods. As the three of…
Read MoreCome November: A Troublesome Opening Day
Papa says I have the biggest imagination he’s ever seen and that I see things in the woods that aren’t really there… like big ol’ gnarly bucks, for instance… Now I was wondering if that was true. It was opening day of gun season in October, and I wanted to see a big buck in…
Read MoreGuest Editorial-Opinion: “It’s Better To Build Boys Than To Mend Men”
“It’s better to build boys than to mend men.” When the great S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, used those words as a title for his 2004 book, men were still men and boys presumably aspired to grow up to be men like their fathers, grandfathers, uncles and mentors. Now you have to wonder if…
Read MoreBig Bucks Are Individuals
Somebody had opened the flood gates, and it had been raining cats and dogs all morning long. At about 9:30 a.m., I was slowly sloshing my way back to camp along the top of a steep hardwood ridge that dropped down into a narrow wooded draw. Suddenly the bottom fell out. I was wearing an…
Read MoreRed Oaks Plantation
When you turn off Highway 300 onto the picturesque winding driveway next to the large white barn that marks the main entrance into Red Oaks Plantation, you quickly find yourself transformed into another world. Located just south of the small community of Oakfield, Red Oaks Plantation is a deer hunter’s paradise. Just being in northern…
Read MoreThe Sable Bucks Of Black Bog Swamp – The Conclusion
“You call me Harley,” Harley Anderson told Cougar. “Looks like you’re doin’ a fine job on rebuildin’ this blind for your aunt. She’ll be pleased. When you’re finished here, I ’spose she’ll put you to work lookin’ for her lost gold.” “You know about that, too?” “Everybody down here knows about Victoria’s gold, young man.”…
Read MoreThe Sable Bucks Of Black Bog Swamp Part 4
“You did what?” Jimbo yelled. “I thought I told you to leave her alone. I told you not to go down there. You disobeyed a direct order.” “Yes sir, but I had to. The farm means a lot to me. It’s the only heritage I have, and it’s a sacred thing with me just like…
Read MoreThe Flip-A-Coin Buck
In those days we were green as grass and very naive as to the ways of big bucks, but what we lacked in experience we more than made up for in determination and the sheer love of hunting. The rolling farm property we were hunting 50 miles south of Atlanta was prime for seeing a…
Read MoreThe Sable Bucks Of Black Bog Swamp Part 3
“We were all stunned,” Uncle Wiley told Cougar as he continued his story. “We were in shock. J.L. had always kept himself in excellent physical condition, and he was only 62. If we had only known about the blood clot we could have saved him. Jimbo got emergency leave and came home. He and Vickie…
Read More