What is...

[newoodguy78]

Wudman, I guess the first copy is spoken for but I'd buy the second. :D

[Wudman]

I'll throw a few more animal stories in the mix.

We bought a tract of cypress in Shoe Heel Creek, NC.  This is just west of Pedro (South of the Border) for any of you that have run I-95.  This was in 1990 or so.  The Pacific Northwest was pretty much shut down and we had contracted with Columbia Helicopters to log this tract.  It was early November and I was flagging property lines.  I had my hip boots on and the water was a little over knee deep.  I stepped over a small blow down and the ground took off from under my foot.  All I could think was that I stepped on an alligator.  Somewhat to my relief, a big snapping turtle came rolling up.  It was cold enough that he wasn't moving too fast, but it still had my attention.

On the other end of the spectrum was a nice toasty day in July.  I had bought my first and last USFS sale in the Uwharrie National Forest just southwest of Asheboro, NC.  I had been flagging the sale lines and returned to the truck when I had run out of water.  I always wore snake chaps in rattlesnake country.  That day was a hot as blue blazes and I took them off when I got back to the truck.  I had about 250 feet of line down the opposite side of the highway left to complete.  I left the chaps in the truck.  I got down to the very end of the line and stepped across a blown down Virginia Pine.  The ground moved under my foot.  The old boy shot out in front of me about 3 feet and assumed the business position.  I had stepped down square on a BIG timber rattler, but he did not strike.  I carried a walking stick with me so I cracked him across the head.  I carried him back up to the truck and went up to the logging deck.  The crew owner came over to the truck and leaned across the side.  He looked down and there was that snake.  He said "Get that thing out of here right now.  If my crew sees it they won't work another day here."  I skinned him out.....he was 52" long with 16 rattles and a button.  I guess I should have let him go after he let me go, but instinct swung the stick.

In February 2008, we had some of the worst wildfires in Virginia history.  One day I was reconning a fire that had run through a 3 year old plantation.  I was about a 1/4 mile from the truck when I turned to see two huge dogs coming at me at a dead run.  One was a Rottweiler and the other was a German Shepard mix.  Both dogs were well over a hundred pounds.  They closed to about 10 feet with teeth bared and snarling.  It was the only time in my 30 year career that I have been afraid for my safety.  Everything I could lay my hands on was rotten.  I didn't have my walking stick.  As I back peddled to the truck, they maintained that distance of about 10 feet.  When I got within sight of the truck, they wheeled and left.  That one scared the crap out of me.

I have actually been bitten by dogs twice while working.  One day I stopped and knocked on a lady's door.  She opened the door and a little Chihuahua came out between her feet.  She realized what was happening and went to screaming for "Fifi".  "Fifi" was about 4 pounds and looked like a Tazmanian Devil on my Red Wings, but didn't do any damage.  The other time, I went to make notification about a herbicide application to a home adjoining one of our tracts.  There were two full size poodles in the yard when I pulled up.  There was no one home when I went to the door, so I left a pamphlet for the homeowner.  As I stepped off the porch, one of the poodles ran up behind me a clamped into my backside.  He actually did a little damage.  So here I have been around Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Chows, German Shepards, and all sorts of curs and I get bit by a Chihuahua and a Poodle........go figure.

Wudman   

[pinefeller]

ok sign me up for the third copy

[4x4American]

 :D :D :D


I've heard before that poodles can be cantankerous somebucks.. 


That's a big rattler     So that confirms, the rattle snake scientist guy up the road from me told me that you can step on a rattlesnake and it will be trying to get out from underneath your boot, not try to bite you.  I seen 3 of them at my sawmill this year, I worry more about my dog than anything...but, I did find out that the noise don't scare em.  And I had a black rat snake hanging around for awhile at the sawmill, he was weaving in and out by my feet for a few days and hiding in lumber piles.  I was glad to have him around to eat any mice.


The two dogs running at you is interesting...I wonder what that was all about.