Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2961

I'm glad to read that things have change for the better in the way you are going thru life. Grandkids & childhood memories are the most important things to keep a person on an even keal as we grow older. My book just came today too & haven't had a chance to read any of it, but am looking forward to what you put in it. Take care, Ron.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

MR. Jack, I'm looking forward to your visit and will have the coffee on. I am doing much better and if I didn't still have the Gout in my toe I would have been tempted to cut ole Bo loose last night. Just kidding but I do feel better already than I had hoped I would. Did a lot of walking all over the yard yesterday and up and down these steps. Doc said the more walking I could stand to do early on the quicker I would be back after those mean ole coon. Sooo I'm A WALKING!! Take Care and see you soon!

Scott, Thanks for checking in on me. Feels like I have been ran through the work shop and had an overhaul so I hope I'm tuned up and ready to roll this summer. Take Care and Good Hunting!!!

Ron, Thanks! All my life I was a hard going person. Whether tackling a job, hunting, fishing, hosting a super bowl party, ect. And I liked my drinking and thought at the end of most days it just went better with some beers. As I got older the hard going man slowed down but the sitting around drinking didn't. I couldn't just be a social drinker, I liked my belly full. Thank the Lord I never had an accident that hurt anyone or got a DUI. I thought about quitting years before but didn't think I would enjoy life and the things I like to do without the beer around. Whether it was NASCAR racing, ridding my Harley, canoeing, fishing or whatever. How wrong I was!! When I woke up that July the 4th morning in 2011 it was like all the others before. Pop the Top about lunch but something was different, it didn't taste good anymore and didn't feel right in my hands. Took that one swallow, looked at the wife and said, I QUIT, and poured it down the sink. I had Never tried to quit before because I liked it. But that morning I HAD ENOUGH. Life now is more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined and getting back into coon hunting was just icing on the cake. Dog food is high and I have more hounds than I can hunt and have spent some money getting back into it but its not a drop in the bucket to what I was spending on drinking and being the perfect host to all the good ole buddies that I don't see anymore. I quit drinking and they quit hanging around. Wish I had quit many, many years ago. Sorry to go to rambling on about my past but now you know where I came from and will understand when you read that poem just how much it means to me. Take Care!

P. S. I saw where you got a 17 month old male that sounds like a good one and has some great breeding behind him. Good Luck with him!!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2961

These are the kind of 'ramblings' I enjoy reading about. Never liked the taste of beer or even the smell, But my dad sure did!!! Spent a lot of time in a tavern growing up & driving him home when he couldn't & the smell of beer has always tuned me off. I could care less if the guys I hunt with drink a couple beers AFTER we get done hunting, just not before or during a hunt. JMO.

Ya Scooter has done good the last 2 nights, but I'll know a lot more about him in a month.

Just a medical thought now for you. I used to have gout & several cases of calcium kidney stones. Don't know which hurt worse, but they both hurt like hell. About 20 years ago, the doctor put me on ALLOPURINOL, more for the stones than gout, but it helps for both & haven't had an issue of either since. It might be worth asking your doctor about it. Gotta go. Take care, Ron.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

My son Shane came out with Little Levi today, Mason came by and my Dad and Mom. We walked out back to see the ole hounds and Little Levi likes them as much as Mason and Paw Paw do. Levi has grown a lot and now weighs 22 pounds at 6 months old. Its a pretty spring day in the 60's today. Had a great visit.

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Gilmer, TX
Posts: 158

Four generations nicely pictured. I like those pants of yours, Steve.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Thanks Chris but I won't take credit in picking out those Chili Pepper Pajamas! lol! One of those cheap Christmas presents you never think you will wear until you have surgery and your Jimmie Johnson ones are in the washer!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: SE indiana
Posts: 941

Mr Bankston,
I have read this entire post and just want to say that it is by far the best I have ever read on this board. Please keep posting. I like the way your young dog is bred as well. God speed on your recovery. The only thing I saw that i didn't like was talk of Jimmy Johnson. I grew up in Columbus Indiana and played Little league baseball with Tony Stewart. Lol!

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Chris Powell
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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1920

Looks like a beautiful Spring Day and what a great picture. I was also fortunate to get a four generation photo with my oldest son, father and grandfather. Few of us are blessed enough for that to happen.
Great job on your contributions to the Blue Book. Nice participation with the articles and adds. Great Job Steve!

Take Care,
Scott

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Gone but not forgotten:

GrNiteCh Oklahoma Blue Creek (Ch GrNiteCh Goodsons Rowdy Bocephus X GrNiteCh GrCh TP's Dizzy Dot)
GrNiteCh Mose's Pink Floyd (GrNiteCh Dean's Blue Mose X GrNiteCh B&D's Blue Ruby) Hollis-VH
GrNiteCh GrCh Bullet II's Code Blue Cricket (GrCh GrNiteCh 'PR' Twin Springs Runnin Bullet II X NiteCh Ch JJ's Code Blue Jenny)
Ch GrNiteCh Smokey River Blue Tramp II (GrCh GrNiteCh Smokey River Jean's Blue Tramp X Ch NiteCh Misty River Blue Doll IV)
GrNiteCh GrCh Vining's Hammerhead (Dual Grand Twin Springs Runnin Bullet II X Dual Grand Vining Blue Mollie)
GrNiteCh Ch Uchtmans Blue Logan (GrNiteCh Gene's Blue Newton X ChNiteCh Smiley's Blue Lady)
GrNiteCh GrCh Makin' Music Banjo (GrNiteCh Washburn Valley Blue Drip X GrNiteCh GrCh Razor Ridge Unstable Mable)
GrNiteCh. Uncle Pen (GrNiteCh South Shore Drive Blue Kev X GrNiteCh Frosty's Fancy)

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: jasper,al
Posts: 751

Steve you look hot in them pepper pj's!! Lol.

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205 300 2309
HOME OF
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PKC Ch,UKC NITECH,ACHA NITECH
DRY CREEK ROCKY (RIP)
DRY CREEK KINK(work in progress)

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Rowdy- Chris Powell, thanks for the compliments on my post. I enjoy posting about my ole hounds and the grandkids and other things that go on in my life. I also enjoy reading others on here and the hunting stories they have to tell. I print the pages out from time to time and keep it in a notebook kind of like a diary. One day when I'm to old to follow the hounds anymore I can relive some of the hunts by going back and reading these pages. Thanks for the get well wishes also. I thought your ole buddy Tony Stewart might have pulled out a win today but it didn't happen. He finished better than Jimmie did and that don't happen to often. Tony is a good guy, if your not in his way! lol! Take Care.

Scott, thanks! The picture of me and the family meant a lot and I'm glad my wife snapped it while they were all here. I'm proud BBCHA let me contribute a couple things as it meant a lot to me as the people do that I wrote about. Everyone in the book did a great job on their articles and adds. I love looking at everyone of them. I hope next year more people will feel like putting more things in the Bluebook. I would like to see it get thick again like back in the 80's. Take Care.

Myers, after I get well you can probably buy those Pepper PJ's off eBay, CHEAP!!! lol!!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

Last edited by steve bankston on 03-30-2015 at 01:08 AM

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Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Lowell, AR
Posts: 311

Steve, I wish you well soon and back to the woods with Mason and Bo. Thank you for the great story in the bluebook. And thank you for putting the time in Bo. Bo's momma (Sally) is up at Mike Hurt, and Jeff Dean's being bred to Mose this week. We will see how the cross turns out if she sticks. Steve I wish you a smooth and quick recovery.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Mason road with Paw Paw this morning to the DR. and he took the stiches out of my hand and said in two more weeks I can go back to normal life with the hand. We will go to the Hernia DR. on Thursday and see what he says but it feels ok so I'm thinking in two weeks I will be back at work and back in the woods at night. When we got home he wanted to let Briar out and go swimming so we did. Told my wife to leave me out of the pictures. I was sporting my Jimmie Johnson PJ's today but all the flack I caught on the Pepper PJ's has me camera shy! lol!!

Thanks Kenny and good luck with that cross on Sally. That ad you had in the BB looked real nice of Traveler. Real good looking hound and bred the best. Take Care.

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Gilmer, TX
Posts: 158

I can't speak for the others, but I'd like to see the Jimmie Johnson PJs. I'll be taking the new gyp Zena out tonight.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

HAPPY EASTER from the BANKSTON FAMILY!! Little Levi's first Easter Egg Basket with a barn yard chicken my wife got from tractor supply. Shane and his wife Jessica brought Levi out today and Kat brought Mason and Jaxson and we grilled some good food, waded in the river and hunted Easter Eggs. Wishing each and every one of you a GREAT weekend with your family's and helping the little ones find those eggs.

Got my 11 staples out yesterday from my last surgery and will be putting the hounds in the swamp next weekend. I have surely missed it and can't wait. Will go fill up a few bucket feeders tomorrow so ole Briar can have a few easy tracks to run and get his mind focused on coon. Chris how is the new English gyp doing and is your gyp showing she took yet?

I talked to Mr. B H Patterson a couple times this week and he has had a rough go of it the past month. In and out the hospital and having lots of test run. He is at home now but could sure use your thoughts and Prayers. Happy Easter!!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Gilmer, TX
Posts: 158

Glad to hear you are improving and will soon be back in the woods. Seems like it's gone by pretty quick, but it probably seemed longer to you.

Great picture again. Sounds like a wonderful time.

Ann treed her first coon yesterday a little before dark. I was out walking her and Wolf and she hit a track and burned it up. She ran about three hundred yards and treed. Wolf backed her. Didn't have my gun, but I saw the coon.

Happy Easter to everyone as we celebrate, honor and remember the sacrifice of Christ.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Took Briar out behind the house tonight. Been to long since I have been hunting and even though I can't hit it hard for another couple weeks I decided tonight it was " GO TIME "!!
He struck a hot track near my feeder and smoked it about 200yds and slammed the tree with 3 long bawls, chopped a couple times and hushed. I just waited and about 30 seconds later he crawled back up on it and put the hammer down. I eased my way to him and shined the tree when I got close and the coon was looking at me with both eyes. Looked like a big one as eyes were real wide apart. Went on in to the tree and loved my hound up a while and came on back home. Yaw don't know how good it felt to be back out in those woods along the river listening to a pup do a good job. After being sidelined with 2 surgeries in the past 3 weeks its GREAT to be BACK!! Click on picture to see video. Good Hunting!!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Gilmer, TX
Posts: 158

Congratulations Steve. It's great to hear that Briar didn't miss a beat with the time off. Looks like you have another good one in the making.

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: SE indiana
Posts: 941

Briar is looking and sounding good.

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: jasper,al
Posts: 751

good to see you are finally getting out alittle bit and glad to see young briar under a coon. take care

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JASON MYERS
205 300 2309
HOME OF
GRNT ICEMAN (RIP)
PKC Ch,UKC NITECH,ACHA NITECH
DRY CREEK ROCKY (RIP)
DRY CREEK KINK(work in progress)

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Registered: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 1788

Nice Video and nice young hound. Dave

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: oakvale ms
Posts: 2007

Good to see you and Briar back out Steve. I know how it is when you are laid up, just a little getting out helps a whole lot and when you've got a young dog that acts like he aint never been laid up makes it a whole lot better. I know it won't be long now before you and Bo and Briar will be back at it regularly. I hav'nt forgot about our cup of coffee. I just been busy. I'll try to get over there soon. I'll call you. Take care.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Thanks Guys! Briar looks great on these few hot tracks he has had but the best thing that has happened after running that first coon is his DESIRE. He went from a pup that would come out of the pen wrestling with me or running the Cocker Spaniel, Freckles, around the yard, to a pup that hits the woods on the run, totally ignoring everything else. Looking for a coon and was getting treed on squirrels until I just had to keep him penned up so it wouldn't become a bad habit. Time will tell how he finishes out.

MR. Jack, I figured you were busy and I understand how it is. You were down quite a while yourself and I figured you had a lot you were getting caught up on. Looks like a lot of rain headed our way starting tonight and for the next week. I was taking BO last night but it didn't work out. Mason's mom had to work so he was staying the night and when I started getting ready to go he got his new light and told my wife bye, that he was going hunting with Paw Paw. I tried to explain to him that I was going to Bad Black Branch Swamp and couldn't tote him yet until I healed up some more. He started crying and I just couldn't leave the little fellow so we ended up riding the 4 wheeler up the river on the sandbar and letting him shine trees and the river bank looking for coon. I really wanted to get BO out but maybe it was for the best. I felt real good yesterday as this soreness is gradually fading away. We will get together soon MR. Jack. Yaw take care and Good Hunting to ALL!!!

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Oct 2014
Location: Gilmer, TX
Posts: 158

Sounds like Mason is just about as keen to go hunting as Briar. It's great to see the little ones get into it.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Well, another night on this couch. I had plans to hunt BO and BRIAR tonight and my neighbor and his 13 year old son were coming over on their 4 wheelers to go with me but at 7:30pm a tornado warning popped up on my phone. It was down near Kentwood, La. and headed our way. They said within 45 minutes it would be on us. So I ran out and fed the hounds, cancelled our hunt plans for the night and prepared for rough weather. As I sit here its 9:15pm and nothing, not even a light rain yet. The warning has been cancelled and I looked at radar and it just lost its intensity and now its not even much rain with it. That's all good but there goes anther hunt as I'm not hunting the hounds on a full belly. I'm beginning to think the Good Lord isn't ready for me to hit the swamps yet. First the Gout in my foot, then Mason crying last night but his mom picked him up this evening, then it was the tornado warning. Maybe HE feels I'm rushing back out to quick, so I will heal up at least ONE MORE DAY. I feel and Pray for anyone that is in harms way of these terrible disasters. It is the time of year when outbreaks start happening, and yesterday and today it has been all over the weather channel of places being hit.
Chris, I'm like you in that I also love to see the little ones take to hunting like a duck to water and Mason surely does. He will get plenty of hunting time but last night there was no way I could have handled him and BO in that bad swamp. My neighbor has 2 boys that are about 13 and 15 years old. They went with me one time and really liked it so I'm hoping I have some up and coming handlers and future coon hunters in them and their Dad. I would really like to hunt BO and BELL in some hunts and if they take to it like I hope then maybe I could pay them a little to help me hunt these hounds like they deserve to be hunted. Take Care.

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" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: tylertown,mississippi
Posts: 2552

Had a good day today. We swam the hounds, rode in the jet boat, boiled crawfish, set out limb lines yesterday and cleaned the fish today, watched Jimmie Johnson win the race tonight and took BO and BRIAR to Black Branch Swamp and treed two coon. Glad to be back to normal around here. I'm sore from all of it but me and the ole hounds will get whipped into shape soon.

__________________
" BOGUE CHITTO BLUES"
Where hounds are more than just dogs, they are a part of the FAMILY.

Last edited by steve bankston on 04-12-2015 at 05:49 AM

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