With big box stores and local towns putting up Christmas Decorations, I just want to pull my beard out one gray whisker at a time. Pump the brakes, slow down, why are we trying to suppress Thanksgiving as just another day the post offices and banks are closed?
Thanksgiving has always been a very important holiday for me. Admittedly, as a young kid it did feel like a stepping stone to get to the grand daddy of them all. But, Thanksgiving was actually the coolest. We had a large family. I was the oldest of six kids and we had a big house, So, naturally, we hosted for our extended family. It was a tradition for my grandpa, uncles and us to take in a morning rabbit hunt. My oldest brother had a couple of beagles and we would hunt right behind the house on our modest country homestead. I remember one hunt in particular; My uncle Steve didn’t bring a gun or even the right clothes. He and his family had recently moved back from Tucson and a lot of his stuff was still in boxes. There was a fresh skiff of snow and he was hunting with my mother’s .22 rifle wearing a leather bomber jacket, blue jeans and bolo tie and cowboy boots. Slipping and sliding every direction. Probably not the safest thing but it was comical. A rabbit jumped up and he worked that Browning lever action making it sound like a semi auto. He was sending rounds down range. Sometime during his suppressive fire he connected and Sally, the beagle, signaled the end of the trail for that bunny.
I have a few significant firsts that have occurred on Thanksgiving as well. I caught my first critter in a trap. Running my trap line on the Honda 3 wheeler, I came across my fox catch. One frosty Thanksgiving evening I was hunting with a local buddy and treed a raccoon. Maybe not significant, however, this was our FIRST raccoon we ever caught with OUR dogs by OURSELVES. We were Bona Fide!
Still today, Thanksgiving is very homey and comfortable for me. It’s just different, low key and something I continue to look forward to every year.
I cant close without telling each of you how thankful I am for your continued support of the Houndsman XP brand. It sure mean a lot. I wish you the best and happiest Thanksgiving.
- Chris