WEBVTT 1 00:00:10.679 --> 00:00:14.679 At the onset of autumn, man's ancient instincts to leave 2 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:18.600 the cave and to hunt begin to stir. That inherent 3 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:22.559 genetic code produces a beckoning from our ancestors to kill 4 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:27.320 and gather our food. Today we enjoy venison, elk, and 5 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:31.399 moose steaks, not too much different than early North American 6 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:36.359 tribes enjoyed a good mammoth or giant sloth tenderloin over 7 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:40.320 a fire built at the site of the kill. Hunting 8 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.719 is part of who we are. Sporting good sales skyrocket 9 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:48.880 as men of this era spend absurd amounts of money 10 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.000 on anything from a bottle of dough urine to a 11 00:00:52.119 --> 00:00:54.840 ninety thousand dollars pickup truck to be able to get 12 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.000 to the woods and hunt on a ten thousand dollars 13 00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:02.439 per year lease in a few restless and freezing hours 14 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:05.640 in a tree stand to finally utter the words to 15 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:10.879 their wives upon their return, I got one. She rolls 16 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:14.359 her eyes but remains silent as her husband tracks mud 17 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.400 onto their kitchen floor while holding several pieces of an 18 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:22.519 unprofessionally butchered deer that leaves a blood trail from the 19 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.719 garage door to the sink At which point the man states, 20 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:30.840 in his best Clint Eastwood impersonation, I'm feeding my family. 21 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:35.640 The wife rolls her eyes, looks at the refrigerator full 22 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:38.799 of food that she had just returned from the grocery store, 23 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.400 and walks into the living room to watch American Idol. 24 00:01:43.319 --> 00:01:48.120 She knows to let Tarzan have his moment. This story 25 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:51.760 is about one of those men. His name is Frank Tucker, 26 00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:56.640 Frank the Tank. Tucker. Frank played football for a small 27 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:59.840 Mississippi town high school, and he was good at it. 28 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:04.879 Frank was an offensive lineman. He was and is six 29 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:08.319 foot five inches tall, and in high school he weighed 30 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:12.280 just under three hundred pounds. No one made a tackle 31 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:16.520 on Frank's side of the line. The coach installed a 32 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:18.759 play that called for Frank to pull from the right 33 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:20.960 of the line to clear the way for a left 34 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:24.680 end suite inside the ten yard line. The play was 35 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.120 a great success, and Frank was fast and he plowed 36 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:31.360 down anyone who was unlucky enough to be between him 37 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:36.199 and the ball carrier. The coach named Frank the Tank 38 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:39.560 the first time they ran the play and scored, and 39 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:44.240 thirty years later the name stix. Frank is a big 40 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:47.639 and powerful man. Still you know it when he walks 41 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:51.039 into a room. Now you might think Frank is a 42 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:54.039 macho type, but he's not. Frank is one of the 43 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.319 most general souls you will meet, and somewhat of an introvert. 44 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:01.599 He doesn't talk much. Frank is married and he has 45 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:05.280 raised three lovely daughters, and he loves his wife. Frank 46 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:08.479 is actually a great guy, and everybody loves him. But 47 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:12.400 Frank has some quirks that you might find strange, even funny, 48 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:15.479 but don't mention it if you ever meet him, you 49 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:20.599 might embarrass the man. First, Frank is afraid of bugs, 50 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.680 any kind of bug. House Flies even make him shiver. 51 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:27.719 He told me once that he goes through a case 52 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:32.240 of insect repellent every spring. In summer, you can always 53 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:35.960 smell the substance on him. If he leaves the house. 54 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.479 He covers every inch of his body with the spray, 55 00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:41.240 and then he tops it off with a repellent lotion 56 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:45.520 on his hands and ankles and face. There's a name 57 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:48.639 for this phobia, but I can't think of what it is. 58 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:53.639 The second, Frank is afraid of the dark. His mother 59 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:56.560 says that even as an infant, he could not sleep 60 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.400 without a light in the room, and to this day 61 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:02.479 his wife has never slept in a dark room because 62 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:06.680 Frank needs four night lights glowing to fall asleep. I've 63 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:09.759 never asked him what he's afraid of. I suppose we 64 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:12.479 will never know unless one of you good people has 65 00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:16.360 the brass to ask the giant man that question. There's 66 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:19.519 a name for this phobia as well, and again I 67 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:23.439 don't know what that is either. Frank's last quirk is 68 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:28.399 that he's terrified of bigfoot. Frank has never seen a bigfoot, 69 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:32.079 but he knows they are there. One of his friends 70 00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:35.560 loaned him a book on the subject in middle school 71 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.879 and he became obsessed. And since then, Frank has read 72 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:43.839 everything he can find on bigfoot. He's watched every movie 73 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:48.120 and probably read all the social media stuff on the Internet. 74 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:51.680 To state that Frank is a hardcore believer is to 75 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:56.560 underscore the point. But he never talks about bigfoot. So 76 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:59.120 how do I know that he's afraid of bigfoot? Since 77 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:02.720 he never talks about got it? You might ask that question, Well, 78 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:07.360 I'm about to tell you Frank also loves to deer hunt. 79 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:10.839 It is his other passion, and in the fall he 80 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:13.399 gets the itch just like all the other hunters in 81 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.839 the southern region, but Frank goes about it a bit differently. 82 00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:20.560 For example, most hunters will set up a stand or 83 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:22.560 blind at the edge of a field so they can 84 00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:25.959 see everything moving as it comes into the open areas 85 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:29.639 a Frank places his shooting platform in the middle of 86 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.839 the field, which isn't the worst thing to do, mind you, 87 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:36.079 but his reasons are different than those of you who 88 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:40.360 hunt this way. The thought of bigfoot sneaking up behind 89 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:43.120 him from the woods gives him the willies, so he 90 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:45.439 sits a shooting house in the middle of the field 91 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:49.399 so he can see bigfoot coming from whatever direction. Frank 92 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:53.680 is a planner. Being afraid of the dark also causes 93 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:57.120 him to do things differently. Most of us walk into 94 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:00.319 the woods with a single headlamp or flashlight, and there 95 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.560 are times that I never turned mine on when the 96 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:05.959 moon is out. But Frank takes several lights and he 97 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:09.680 uses every one of them. He has two lights he 98 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:13.160 wears on his head. Their bicycle lights he bought off 99 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:16.240 an eBay that have four hundred lumen or whatever you 100 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:19.800 call that. These were the brightest that he could find, 101 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.600 and they came with head straps again. One of these 102 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:27.120 is the brightest bicycle light you can buy, and he 103 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:31.079 uses two of them. Frank figured out a way to 104 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:34.399 get both lights on one headstrap, and he lights the 105 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:37.000 woods in front of him like a Chevy pickup truck. 106 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:41.279 It is amazing. I walked in with him one morning 107 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:43.040 a few years ago, and I could see all the 108 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:47.959 way into Tennessee. He also straps two regular four hundred 109 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:51.079 Loomen headlights to the back of his head so that 110 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:54.879 the light shines behind him, and on his pack he 111 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:57.959 uses four lights of some sort that shine to his 112 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:01.319 left and to his right, on each side, hung from 113 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:05.240 the chest straps. A hunter we all know that hunts 114 00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:07.879 with Frank said that one day he had settled into 115 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:10.879 his stand early and he saw Frank coming into the 116 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.639 field from several counties over. He was sure it was 117 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:18.279 an alien invasion of the third kind. He was actually 118 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.800 a bit concerned until Frank stopped and coughed and then farted. 119 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.480 Then he knew it was Frank. Yes, he heard both 120 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:28.480 of these from several hundred yards away, and once he 121 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:31.600 knew it was Frank, he settled in and finished his coffee. 122 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:36.519 Frank's theory is that Bigfoot will never know which direction 123 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.399 he is walking and will not attack him. I think 124 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:43.279 I agree with that theory. Who would ever know which 125 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:47.519 way Frank is facing, even Bigfoot with all those lights. 126 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:52.160 Now I'm not an expert on rifles. I know my rifle, 127 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:56.040 but that's about it. But Frank has an assortment of rifles. 128 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:00.399 He carries two into the woods when he hunts. It 129 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:03.759 has been discussed between some of us whether this is 130 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:06.959 legal or not, but no one wants to broach the 131 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:10.560 subject with Frank. He's a bit touchy about the whole thing. 132 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:14.680 I think he carries a bolt rifle chambered in three 133 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:18.639 eight for the deer, and an additional rifle that shoots 134 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:23.160 a fifty caliber bullet for the bigfoot. It's a McMillan 135 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:27.319 rifle of some variety that marines use to shoot people 136 00:08:27.319 --> 00:08:31.480 through concrete walls and blow holes in engine blocks of tanks. 137 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:35.879 The fifty is Frank's bigfoot rifle. He says, if he 138 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:38.399 sees one coming, he can hit it from a distance 139 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:41.679 and stay out of danger, or he can drop mister 140 00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:45.799 foot before he gets to him. Neither you or I 141 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.720 could carry two rifles of that size a mile to 142 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:52.639 a deer stand, But Frank has no issues with that. Again, 143 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:54.960 Frank is a big and powerful man, and I must 144 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:57.679 say he looks awesome walking into the woods with a 145 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.279 fifty cow bolt rifle strapped to his back, with all 146 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:04.639 those lights making night into daytime. It is a sight 147 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:09.399 to see. Last year season, Frank called me on a 148 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:12.159 Friday night and asked if I wanted to go hunting 149 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:15.679 with him on his place. He didn't invite me, he 150 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.960 asked me to please go with him, almost like he 151 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:22.879 was begging. I remember the phone call. I picked up 152 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:27.320 and Frank said, Jimmy, what are you doing this weekend? Well, nothing, 153 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:29.960 I guess I might try to hunt a little Sunday morning. 154 00:09:30.120 --> 00:09:33.639 I said, okay, you come hunt with me tomorrow. Can 155 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.240 you make it? I need you there. I mean, I 156 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:40.080 would love to see you, buddy. Frank had invited me 157 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:43.279 to hunt his place before, but something was different about 158 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:46.960 his tone. Yeah, sure, Frank, I'd love to. Are you 159 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.240 needing help with something on your place? I just need 160 00:09:50.279 --> 00:09:52.440 to make sure Karen doesn't need me for anything in 161 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.240 the morning. Can I call you back in an hour? Yeah, yeah, Jimmy, 162 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:59.039 call me back as soon as you can. And Frank 163 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:03.120 hung up. That was weird, I thought. I cleared it 164 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:05.600 with my wife and called Frank back to tell him 165 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:07.080 that I would meet him at the gate at five 166 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:11.720 point thirty the next morning. Frank's demeanor changed, almost like 167 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:15.200 he was relieved, saying, okay, Jimmy, that sounds great. I 168 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:18.600 see you in the morning. I rolled up to the 169 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:21.360 gate the next morning. It's going to be a glorious 170 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.919 day because the weather was forecast to be perfect, and 171 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.240 I was excited. Frank had already parked at the gate 172 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.840 when I arrived. I got out and we shook hands 173 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:33.840 and we talked him in it, and then he asked 174 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:36.440 me where I wanted to hunt. So I told him 175 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:38.200 I was thinking I would hunt that ridge on the 176 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:40.879 east side of the property, you know the place you 177 00:10:40.919 --> 00:10:44.559 put me last time. I said, there's always bucks chasing 178 00:10:44.600 --> 00:10:48.559 does on that ridge. Maybe I'll get lucky. His reply 179 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:51.679 was quick, Now, now, you don't want to hunt way 180 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:54.399 up there. Those bucks are running close to the field. 181 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.120 You should be on that little rise above my field 182 00:10:57.159 --> 00:11:00.840 and catch him coming in there. Frank like he was 183 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.759 thinking hard about what to say next, and then he 184 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.799 spit it out. Look, Jimmy, I was in here Wednesday late. 185 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:10.639 I heard the most god awful scream come from the 186 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:13.960 lower end of my field. I think the bigfoots have 187 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:17.000 migrated to my place, Jimmy, and I'm sure he's looking 188 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.159 for a mate. That's the truth. I don't want you 189 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:23.480 up there on that ridge by yourself. Plus I've got 190 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.720 this big gun, and if he shows up, I can 191 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:29.759 handle him and keep us both safe. Well, I wasn't 192 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:33.080 sure what to say. I'd never heard anyone say things 193 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:36.480 like this to me. You need to know that Bigfoot 194 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:40.360 was never a topic of discussion between Frank and other people. 195 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:43.200 I don't know if folks are afraid to talk about 196 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:46.559 it with Frank or what, but I do know the 197 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:51.679 subject is avoided somehow. We just all knew Frank's issue 198 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:56.120 with bigfoot. Now here he was talking about it out loud. 199 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.559 We all knew he was terrified of Bigfoot. And now 200 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:03.240 seeing that terror with my own eyes, and I wasn't 201 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:07.159 sure how to respond to him. So I just said, Okay, Frank, 202 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:09.879 that sounds good, and I went to my truck and 203 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:13.159 I got my gear on. It took me a minute 204 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:16.200 to throw on my backpack and sling my rifle. It 205 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:19.440 took Frank twenty minutes to rig up all his lights 206 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:22.320 and spray himself with a gallon of bug spray and 207 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:25.879 strapped both rifles across his back and then buckle in 208 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:29.320 his holster, which held some sort of military style looking 209 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:33.559 black pistol. He slammed the trunk lid of his car 210 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:36.519 down and he turned to me and he grinned, you ready, 211 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:40.600 he asked, Been ready for twenty minutes, Frank, I said, 212 00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:45.279 while rolling my eyes. Frank smiled a little, and he said, 213 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:48.559 I know you think I'm crazy, Jimmy. If that thing 214 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:52.440 shows up and I'm not prepared, I'd never forgive myself. Now, 215 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.399 I've studied this topic for years, and Bigfoot could be anywhere. 216 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:00.000 He could show up anywhere. And then it all came 217 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:03.000 together for me. Frank didn't want me there to have 218 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:05.720 a good time and try to kill a buck. He 219 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.159 wanted me there to walk in into the woods with him. 220 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:13.840 He was using me. He was afraid of Bigfoot getting him. Well. 221 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.919 I was okay with that. Wasn't worried about Bigfoot. But 222 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:19.639 I really wanted to hunt that ridge. So I don't 223 00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:23.399 hold any hard feelings about the day. I looked on 224 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.639 the positive side, and I thought it was nice that 225 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:28.720 he thought of me. It was his place, and I 226 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:32.480 would hunt wherever he wanted me to go. And then 227 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:36.559 Frank started turning on all his lights. I felt like 228 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.559 I was at a rock concert. I couldn't see anything. Frank, 229 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:43.039 we don't need all those lights. Just turn on your 230 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.840 headlamp so we can see in front of us. Maybe 231 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:49.279 I won't get rentin of damage. Jimmy, we need these 232 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:52.399 lights in every direction. I want to blind that bigfoot 233 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.480 if he comes at me. You're seeing what he will 234 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.840 be seeing. No way he's going to jump us with 235 00:13:57.879 --> 00:14:02.120 all these lights on. Frank, whatever you think, Let's get moving, 236 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:06.720 I said, and down the trail we started to an observer. 237 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:09.960 I'm sure it looked like a magical ferry light floating 238 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.320 down from the trail. We got to a small ridge 239 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.960 above his field and he told me to head to 240 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.960 the stand. We both knew it was just a few 241 00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:21.320 yards into the woods. I would be set up within 242 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:25.200 sight of his shooting house down in the field. Chances 243 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.960 of either of us taking a deer that day dwindled 244 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.120 by the minute, and I had already written the day off. 245 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:35.840 But I was there, and stranger things have happened. Hell them. 246 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:39.080 I didn't get to see a bigfoot. It'd be nice 247 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:42.519 morning of coffee and reading my kindle, though I was 248 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:46.960 into a good novel at that time. Frank kept moving 249 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:50.320 down the trail toward the field. I watched in all 250 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:54.440 as the parade float moved through the woods. It was 251 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.039 still dark, but I could see everything for miles. I 252 00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:01.799 could see Frank was nervous, and by how slow he 253 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.240 moved on the trail to his spot. He must have 254 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:07.919 always been scared out of his wits when he walked 255 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:09.960 to his stand in the dark, and I wondered why 256 00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:13.559 he even continued to hunt. I guess the terror was 257 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:16.120 worth it to have a good venison on the table 258 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:19.320 or the chance at the trophy buck. None of us 259 00:15:19.399 --> 00:15:24.759 will ever know. Frank continued his slow creep down the trail, 260 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:29.000 taking baby steps, his head on a swivel. There was 261 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:32.000 still no hint of light in the eastern sky, and 262 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:33.960 I wanted to yell for him to hurry the hell 263 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.960 up before the sun came up. I could have been 264 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:40.039 there and finished two cups of coffee by now, but 265 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:43.120 Frank kept creeping along and had finally made it to 266 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:46.399 the edge of the field. There was so much light 267 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:48.639 that I could see the leaves scattered in the field 268 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:51.120 from one hundred yards up in the woods, and it 269 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:54.240 reminded me of a night at the ballpark. And I 270 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.279 got a few whiffs of insect spray from that distance 271 00:15:57.320 --> 00:16:01.840 as well. Frank heard something moving to his right, and 272 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.519 he stopped and looked into the woods. His head twitched 273 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:07.879 back and forth, looking for the source of the noise. 274 00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:13.080 Apparently satisfied it was not a bigfoot sneaking up on him, 275 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.440 he took two more steps and a covey of birds 276 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:20.120 exploded out of the grass and into the field. I 277 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:24.799 heard it clearly. There's no mistaking that sound. We don't 278 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.799 have any quail left in Mississippi, but I know the 279 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.799 sound from my younger years hunting birds with my father. 280 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:34.120 And when the birds flushed, Frank thought it was a 281 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:38.159 bigfoot attacking him, and he passed out from sheer terror. 282 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:42.279 I heard a deep thud, as if something were hitting 283 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:44.720 the ground, but I never guessed it was his body 284 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:48.320 thumping into the dirt. Of course, I thought Frank had 285 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:51.440 gotten spooked and decided to stand where he was until 286 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:55.240 the sun came up so that he could see better. Nope, 287 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:58.000 Frank was out like a light, but I didn't know 288 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:02.440 that yet. I settled into my stand and finished my 289 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.440 coffee and started looking for any movement in the woods. 290 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:09.720 Daylight had begun to creep into the eastern horizon, and 291 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:13.559 I panned the woods and I got my bearings. Nothing 292 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:17.079 was moving. I pulled out my kindle and started reading. 293 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:20.160 This was a really good book I had my hands on. 294 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:24.119 Frank was not even on my mind, and after an 295 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.200 hour or so, I put the book down and paned 296 00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:29.480 the woods again. I looked at Frank's shooting house and 297 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:32.519 I didn't see anything moving, so I figured he had 298 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:35.480 made it in there and settled in. But as I 299 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:39.039 panned to my left, I noticed the lights. There were 300 00:17:39.079 --> 00:17:42.559 Frank's lights. They were still motionless on the ground, out 301 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:45.279 on the edge of the field. Hard to make out 302 00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:48.400 with the sun shining on the field, but even in 303 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:51.039 the full daylight of a Mississippi morning, I could see 304 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:55.759 those lights clearly now that I focused in. Huh, I wondered, 305 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:59.440 he should have turned those lights off by now. If 306 00:17:59.480 --> 00:18:03.839 Bigfoot coming, surely Frank could see him by now. Another 307 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:06.160 twenty minutes creeped by, and I began to worry a 308 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:09.119 bit because the lights never moved. It was time to 309 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:13.160 go check on Big Frank. I climbed down and I 310 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.039 made my way to the edge of the field, and 311 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:18.039 there Frank was laying flat on his back and he 312 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:23.279 was snoring. Had Frank laid down and fallen asleep? I wondered. 313 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.119 I walked over to him and bent down to make 314 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:29.519 sure he was alive, and he was. I reached down 315 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:32.359 and shook him gently, saying his name a few times. 316 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:37.680 Frank's eyes flickered open and shut with a few flutters, 317 00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:40.920 and then a panic set in. He was reaching for 318 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:44.440 my throat, but he got my shirt collar instead, and 319 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:46.519 he dragged me to the ground with him with those 320 00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:51.000 massive hands and was reaching for his side arm. When 321 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.559 I saw that, I started yelling and screaming in his 322 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:57.960 face that it was me, It was me. He kept 323 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:01.279 reaching and missing the pistol until he finally slowed down 324 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.240 just for a second and realized he had his friend 325 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:07.240 in his grip. And when he realized it was me, 326 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:11.240 I said, what the hell's going on? Frank? Are you okay? 327 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:15.279 He rolled over and pushed himself up on all fours 328 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:19.319 and he took a few deep breaths. That thing attacked me. Jimmy, 329 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:23.000 did you see it? What thing attacked you? Frank? You 330 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:26.759 big dummy bigfoot? Did you not see it? Well? I 331 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.920 watched you walk all the way down this hill and 332 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:33.119 I didn't see anything. You're crazy. He said, that thing 333 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:35.720 was creeping along in the brush beside me, and then 334 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:40.599 it attacked me. Typical Bigfoot stalking tactics. Jimmy, you didn't 335 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.799 see it. I can't believe you didn't see it. I 336 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:46.440 didn't see anything, but if you say it was Bigfoot, 337 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:49.640 then I believe you. Frank. Well, I knew that it 338 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:51.839 was a covey of birds that set him off, but 339 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:55.799 I wasn't going to burst his bubble. Frank got up 340 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.279 and dusted himself off. I could never stand up that 341 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:02.400 quickly with fifty pounds of rifles strapped to me, but 342 00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:05.680 he bounced uff like a little kid. And then Frank 343 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:08.440 looked up at the full blazing sun we were under, 344 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:11.079 and he asked me for the time. I told him 345 00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:13.359 it was around eight thirty, and he looked at the 346 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:18.519 ground in disbelief and whispered, was I off for two hours? Apparently? 347 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.519 I said, I wonder why Bigfoot didn't finish me off? 348 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:25.599 He said, he had a quizzical look about his face. 349 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:29.079 I don't know, Frank. Maybe it was that smell coming 350 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.440 from your breeches. Oh man, Frank said, I think I 351 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:37.400 shot myself. Yeah, there ain't no doubt about that, I said, 352 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:39.880 and I moved away from the giant to get some air. 353 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:43.759 I need to get home and get cleaned up. Jimmy, 354 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:47.119 I'm sorry about all this. Thanks for coming with me. 355 00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:51.519 You're welcome to stay and hunt all day if you want. Oh, Frank, 356 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:54.640 I had a great time. Thanks for inviting me. I 357 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:56.960 think I all had on home. I got stuff doing 358 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:00.400 around the house. The wind was at our back, so 359 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:03.839 I stayed behind Frank so I could breathe. Poor guy. 360 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:08.640 I helped Frank lotus gear in his car, and Frank 361 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:12.319 laid paper towels all over his seat cushions and climbed 362 00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:15.079 his huge frame in the sedan and drove out ahead 363 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:18.440 of me. I stood by the truck for a while, 364 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:21.079 and I took in the woods and the smells and 365 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:24.640 the light and the fall colors. I took a deep breath, 366 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.519 and I just stayed in the moment. I was at 367 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:30.400 peace and loving being there, Even if the hunt had 368 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:34.440 been a disaster. I started moving to the open door 369 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:37.559 of my truck, and from down in the area of Franksfield, 370 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:41.200 I heard a series of deep moans that chilled me 371 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:46.200 to the bone. Was a Bigfoot? I started the truck 372 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:50.880 and I drove away. I have Frank's permission to tell 373 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:54.480 this story. He thinks it will be good information for 374 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:58.039 those of us who spend time in the woods. He's 375 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:00.720 hoping that some of you good people learn few defense 376 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:06.279 techniques against an attacking bigfoot. If Frank ever invites me back, 377 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:08.960 I'm bringing a pair of sunglasses and a roll of 378 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:13.200 paper towels in case Bigfoot shows up again. I don't 379 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:16.400 know for sure if Frank still thinks that Bigfoot attacked 380 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:20.480 that early morning in November. I told him what I 381 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:24.160 thought made the ruckus, but I don't think he believes me.