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

They built both spots back and higher and packed them with sticks. The other places I walked through on the way to Bo had Dams too. Lots of Beaver in Bo's Bottom. Wish they loved privet hedge and would chew it all down then I wouldn't mind all the deeper water they create. The river here at the house really washed down a lot of the bank up by that cut and out in the middle of the river is a big Sinker Cypress that I will pull one day this week. It was in that bank somewhere and the high water chewed it out. Its going to take a big flood then I think it will start flowing through that cut. Its back down now within a foot of normal level.

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

This is pictures of the Sinker Cypress I pulled out of the middle of the River today and into the shallow water where I took these pictures then on to the house with it. It is a very nice one with great ornamental value as the stump is really unique and beautiful and the log is all groved up as you can see. It will make awesome Mantle pieces or coffee table tops leaving the live edge on it. These groves are caused by the tree laying in shallow, swift water. As the sap wood rots away and the river keeps running over the log the water gradually Cuts these groves over a long period of time. Very rare and you won't find this from the Sinker in Louisiana as their logs are in Bayous without current, just tide going in and out. Not enough force over time to cut this in a log. Also their logs were cut by man and sank to the bottom of lakes or bayous as they were being floated to market. My Sinker was Never Cut by Man. The River undermined these Virgin Cypress Trees many years before the Ax Man came in the late 1800's and early 1900's and cut all the old growth cypress down. These trees were already down and buried by the river or under water never to be found. Until I started looking! The Sinker I pulled today was buried in the bank across the river where it had fell over a 100 years ago and now the river is changing course and washing out these River Treasures for me to find. I got wet head to toe today getting this one hooked up and out of the river and the wind was blowing 25mph or better and it is was cold. But I couldn't wait for warmer weather when there is River Treasure to be got!

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

Last edited by steve bankston on 02-09-2016 at 08:13 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Beautiful stuff, Steve. Let us see what it looks like when you make into furniture or whatnot.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Took BO to The Roberts Place in Amite County tonight. Cut him down through the mixed Oak and Pine woods and he struck at 300 and trailed on away from me. When he got over 700 I just could hear him and knew he had went over a big hill and into the creek bottom. I used to Turkey hunt in there when I was a teenager and the Turkeys always roosted on that big hill and flew down into the open woods along the creek bottom every morning to strut their stuff. I went on and started walking toward Bo so I could hear him when he hit the tree and just as I got to the top of that hill he came on the tree with 5 big long quivering bawls that just echoed up out of that creek bottom. As I walked through the open woods thinking back on days Long Gone I came up on a huge Red Oak and a memory of a Turkey Hunt came flooding back. I was 16 and had my pump 12 gauge Wingmaster and was setting against that big red oak working a Tom out in front of me. He was hung up at about 75yds and just out of sight and I figured he had hens with him. I was thinking about making a move on him when all of a sudden a Booming Gobble came from right behind me. I mean it felt like it shook the ground it was so close. I dared not move and just kept cutting my eyes left and right trying to pick him up when the tom out in front of me couldn't take it any more and here he came looking for a fight. I let him get to 25yds then dust rolled him and hopped up looking behind the tree for the other Gobbler but there was nothing. Gone, like a Ghost Bird. I named him Thunder because his Gobble was so deep and loud and just seem to roll on and on when he gobbled. I hunted him the rest of that spring and never got him. The bird I killed that morning wasn't a slouch by anyone's standards, he had a 11 1/4" beard with 1 1/8" spurs and weighed 19 1/2 lbs. But I always thought Ole Thunder was probably bigger. With all those great memories bubbling up in my heart I just sat down by that Big Red Oak just like I sat there so many years ago only this time I was listening to my Hounds Thunder echo up out of that creek bottom. I bet I sat there 20 minutes before I reluctantly got up and eased the few hundred yards down the hill and to Ole Bo. He was treed up this big water oak and had the coon after a great job of trailing a long ways through those hills and pines. I knocked it out to him and as I was looking around I spotted a trash pile of old fencing stuff and pipe and a few tires and tin they had pushed off into this bottom many years ago. I got to snooping around and found a few Very Old Electric Fence Ceramic Insulators. When I was a teenager they had a few cows in there with that heavy smooth hot wire. I got Lit Up a few times crawling under it on those foggy spring mornings In a hurry headed to a gobbling tom and not getting low enough going under that hot wire. I picked up those insulators as a keepsake from my past, of better times, gobbling birds and a skinny boy filled with dreams and a love of the outdoors that his parents never understood. After I put them in my coat pockets this old wore out man hooked up his favorite hound and made our way slowly out of Thunder Hollow.

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

Last edited by steve bankston on 02-11-2016 at 12:25 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Apr 2014
Location: oakvale ms
Posts: 2007

Enjoyed the story Steve.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

quote:

---

Originally posted by steve bankston


Took BO to The Roberts Place in Amite County tonight. Cut him down through the mixed Oak and Pine woods and he struck at 300 and trailed on away from me. When he got over 700 I just could hear him and knew he had went over a big hill and into the creek bottom. I used to Turkey hunt in there when I was a teenager and the Turkeys always roosted on that big hill and flew down into the open woods along the creek bottom every morning to strut their stuff. I went on and started walking toward Bo so I could hear him when he hit the tree and just as I got to the top of that hill he came on the tree with 5 big long quivering bawls that just echoed up out of that creek bottom. As I walked through the open woods thinking back on days Long Gone I came up on a huge Red Oak and a memory of a Turkey Hunt came flooding back. I was 16 and had my pump 12 gauge Wingmaster and was setting against that big red oak working a Tom out in front of me. He was hung up at about 75yds and just out of sight and I figured he had hens with him. I was thinking about making a move on him when all of a sudden a Booming Gobble came from right behind me. I mean it felt like it shook the ground it was so close. I dared not move and just kept cutting my eyes left and right trying to pick him up when the tom out in front of me couldn't take it any more and here he came looking for a fight. I let him get to 25yds then dust rolled him and hopped up looking behind the tree for the other Gobbler but there was nothing. Gone, like a Ghost Bird. I named him Thunder because his Gobble was so deep and loud and just seem to roll on and on when he gobbled. I hunted him the rest of that spring and never got him. The bird I killed that morning wasn't a slouch by anyone's standards, he had a 11 1/4" beard with 1 1/8" spurs and weighed 19 1/2 lbs. But I always thought Ole Thunder was probably bigger. With all those great memories bubbling up in my heart I just sat down by that Big Red Oak just like I sat there so many years ago only this time I was listening to my Hounds Thunder echo up out of that creek bottom. I bet I sat there 20 minutes before I reluctantly got up and eased the few hundred yards down the hill and to Ole Bo. He was treed up this big water oak and had the coon after a great job of trailing a long ways through those hills and pines. I knocked it out to him and as I was looking around I spotted a trash pile of old fencing stuff and pipe and a few tires and tin they had pushed off into this bottom many years ago. I got to snooping around and found a few Very Old Electric Fence Ceramic Insulators. When I was a teenager they had a few cows in there with that heavy smooth hot wire. I got Lit Up a few times crawling under it on those foggy spring mornings In a hurry headed to a gobbling tom and not getting low enough going under that hot wire. I picked up those insulators as a keepsake from my past, of better times, gobbling birds and a skinny boy filled with dreams and a love of the outdoors that his parents never understood. After I put them in my coat pockets this old wore out man hooked up his favorite hound and made our way slowly out of Thunder Hollow.

---

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Just when you think you got it All figured out and things are going great and nothing can stop you, The Bogue Chitto River will cut you back down to size and leave you Humbled! Like the Movie Walk The Line when Johnny Cash Daddy told him, " What you got Boy? A Tractor Stuck in the Mud, Nothing!" Lol! I bogged her up good today getting another Sinker Log but that's the good part about having a winch on the back. If there is anything within 400' behind me I won't be stuck long. The tractor and the log are back home.

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

Last edited by steve bankston on 02-11-2016 at 07:09 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 960

You sure did a good job ot that tractor. With out that winch it might have been there next flood.

__________________
BigCountry
Tommy Gayle
985-233-1016

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Yaw say a Prayer for Bo please. Justin and I went to BO's Bottom to hunt tonight and they split treed 100' apart and we got BO off his tree and when we got done checking Justin's tree I saw BO's intestines were hanging out. We tried to hold his head and push them back in him but the cut was to small to get them in so we wrapped him with Justin's shirt to support them and got him out of there and Beverly and I got him to the Vet. Both Vets are in Surgery with him now. His Intestines were out a lot more time we got him to them. As I was typing this they just called and said they were done and optimistic he would be OK but also that its never good for the Intestines to be out of the body for any length of time. Thank God Justin was there to help me with him because if I would have been by myself like I usually am it would have been tough to get him out of those woods by myself. Please say a Prayer for my Buddy.

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

Last edited by steve bankston on 02-12-2016 at 04:35 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Oct 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1443

I'm sorry to hear that,I no you realy think Alot of him.hope he recovers quickly.do u no how it happened,I'm sure it was a hard time getting him out of the woods.il say a prayer for him.

__________________
$EASTERN SHORE KENNELS$

Coty Strannahan

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2003
Location: SE indiana
Posts: 941

What in the world happened?
Beavers packing knives since we broke the dam?

__________________
Chris Powell
Houndsman XP Podcast

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2010
Location: Longview, TX
Posts: 119

Hope Bo is ok Steve.

__________________
Jamie Carter
Longview, TX
903-746-3150

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 960

Dog Gone Steve, I sure hope all turns ok.

__________________
BigCountry
Tommy Gayle
985-233-1016

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 960

Dog Gone Steve, I sure hope all turns ok.

__________________
BigCountry
Tommy Gayle
985-233-1016

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Thanks Guys. I don't know what happened, maybe he run across a beaver cut privet hedge as I saw a lot in there the other night where they been cutting them down or maybe an old fence or maybe coyotes. I heard some in there where they had come from before he treed. But we didn't hear a scuffle. They have been bad here this year and Beverly said they were in the yard again night before last when I was in Amite County hunting and when she went out she heard them running off. Vets said the Intestines did not look damaged but the facia between his hide and the Intestines was ragged and showed trauma. My guess is it was a beaver cut off about a foot above ground that he ran across. He has been snake bit twice and now this, All in Bo's Bottom. Best place I have to hunt but not so much for Bo. Vet opens at 8am and I will be there checking on him and give update later. As long as they didn't dry out to much I think he will be ok. Looks like it will just be me and my Possum Pup for a while.

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 960

Keep us posted Steve. Yea Ole Bo has taking his licks, that's for sure.

__________________
BigCountry
Tommy Gayle
985-233-1016

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

I went and saw BO and I feel like he will make it through this. He had his Proud Tail up and wagging and whined at me to take him home. I think they will keep him until Monday. I know when he woke up and saw he was kenneled beside a bunch of fuzzy house yapping dogs he probably thought he had died and went to Hell and this was going to be his punishment for treeing that ONE POSSUM in his life, Lol!! He has had a bowel movement so that's a great sign and they letting him nibble a little feed so praying he will be ok.

Chris, Stormy isn't retired I just don't hunt her much and I know I should be ashamed its just that its not a lot of fun to hunt the old hounds. Also she will be headed North maybe next weekend if weather is decent as we have plans to breed her to Boomer. Her two littermate sisters have already proven that cross is clicking and throwing some super nice Coon Tree'ers so should be a great cross. I still want a female out of her since my Rose pup died so we will try to make it happen.

I figured some things out last night when this happened to BO. Some of us, especially me, wonder why we don't just hunt ONE HOUND and not have so many young ones aggravating us and that we can't hunt them all enough to do them justice. The answer to that became CLEAR last night. If I only had BO and his Intestines had come out as he was Running instead of when he treed then the brush and briars would have pulled his guts out and my hound would be DEAD TODAY. If that would have happened and I only had him there would have been a 100 percent chance I would have been done with Coon Hunting FOREVER. But I Bond with all my hounds and yes I have a Favorite just like our Mothers do even though they tell you they don't. But even if my favorite died I have Bam, Pebbles, Blade and yes, Ole Stormy. THEY would have helped fill the Void left in my Heart if I had lost BO and They would have been the reason I put my light back on, fired up the 4 wheeler, loaded one of them up and went back to Black Branch Swamp in search of Rocket The Racoon. Our Grandchildren make Old Age something to look forward to even with all our aches and pains and these pups give us something to look forward to when it gets dark. All that being said I will ALWAYS have more than I can hunt and do justice because I NEVER plan to quit Coon Hunting again, NO MATTER WHAT.

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Dellwood Fl.
Posts: 585

Glad to hear Bo is doing better.. life is short and a hounds life can be way shorter, but what do you do? You can't keep them in the kennel in bubble wrap... all you can do is hunt the Heck out of them and be there to help them if the unexpected happens, like you and Justin were there for Bo...

it's dangerous out there, but here's to the good times and to healthy hounds!!!!

__________________
GRNTCH PKC CH DELLWOOD BLUE ZERO (GRNT BOCEPHUS X GRNT HOTR LAYUP LUCY)
Make it Rain- (GRNT Banjo x GRNT Hammerhead)
No Name Pup #1-(GRNT Zero x GRNT Layla)
No Name Pup #2- ( GRNT Poncho x GRNT Layla)
Casey Bigelow 407-952-0714

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1920

Hope Bo is ok. I know he is your favorite and pray he gets past this. I was just checking out the board this morning and saw this.
-6 here with 22 below wind chills so nothing to do but get caught up on all the bluetick news.

Take Care Steve,
Scott

__________________
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)

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

Thanks Casey and Scott. Bo is home now! The Vets said it is a Miracle that when his injury happened we were right there before the Intestines could get all pulled out or in contact with the sand and ground. They said his recovery is nothing short of remarkable and is due to Justin and I doing the right thing in wrapping him up with that shirt and getting him out of the woods and to the Vet for surgery as fast as we did. I agree it is a Miracle that it happened the way it did and he is in the house worrying me as I type this. Love my Hound!! He will be on high powered antibiotics for the next week to fight off any infection that may try to get ahold of him but other than that is expected to make a Full Recovery in a few weeks.

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Apr 2014
Location: oakvale ms
Posts: 2007

That's great news Steve, Glad to hear it.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

OOPS!!! Any Questions?!! Sinker Hook Up is losing money this year!!!

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

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

She sure did! I taught her well on how to compose the picture and get the best shots But I told her I never thought she would keep taking pictures in an Emergency Situation where I was drowning in the River and had a tore Ligament! Thought I had broke it as I felt it pop and hollered for her to quit taking pictures and help me get my boot off. Girl at Hospital in the picture was real sweet and flirty so had me smiling when Beverly took that picture even though I was in a ton of pain. No breaks but strained Ligament and have to wear that Boot for a few weeks and if continues to hurt I have to go to Specialist and possibly have surgery. This week has been a Doozy for sure. Waited 4 months for Deer season to be over so I could hunt the heck out of BO and he had surgery and now I'm down and might be faced with it. Trying to get a nice stump to put a Sinker Cypress Slab on and stain it all for a cool end table. If it wouldn't have slid back I would have made it.

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

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 159

That's a heck of a streak of bad luck, Bo, the tractor, and yourself. Glad that Bo is healing, hope you heal up fully and quickly as well! You will be able to spend some time together just not the time that you were hoping for. Just remember it can always be worse. Wish you the best!

__________________
Cady Creek Blues
BBOA member
BBCHA member
Home of some future hopefuls.....

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged