I will explain the "Pain".....he is a gentleman, if I may call him that, from Massachusetts and Connecticut as his property is on both sides of the States borders. He has been coming hunting bear and ducks with us for 6 years. He is a generous fellow, but sometimes......he can be a bit needy and or pushy. We have had an ongoing love/hate relationship during the years. I open the kitchen in the mornings at 7:00am for bear season, and he likes to irritate me by showing up at the door insistently around 6:00am, which is usually when I head for the shower. The door is still locked at this time, mainly because I know he will do this, so he will stand there and knock and demand to be let in. This has led to him getting an early cold water bath on 2 occasions. The first time was in 2008, when once again he came a knocking. Our daughter was still at home so I recruited her as my partner in crime. It was quite a morning I must say, as I had her watching him through the windows although he could not see her. I went to our front door, opened it up and shot a round out of the old 12 gage to distract him, and it worked as he then started to sneak around to the front. One more shot! Bang!!! He then carefully diverted back towards the side door which is the main entrance. In the meantime I had filled a pitcher full of ice water and as he started back up the stairs, Katelyn quickly opened the door and I let him have it full frontal!!! Not one drop of water missed! While he was in shock, I slammed the door shut and told him I would see him at 7:00! Wet and defeated he retreated back to the cabin. During our many conversations throughout the year, he kept telling me he was going to get even with me, and I informed him that I also had time to plan and plan I did. The next bear season he attempted the early entrance once again, and once again with my partner in crime we baited him in. Again at the door, knock, knock, knock...."let me in I want coffee" he whined. Katelyn had been instructed to hold his attention with the "whats the password game". "Coffee" he answered. "Nope, not done" she replied."Apple Pie" he tried once more. "All gone" she said. "Whats the password then" he asked just as I stepped around the corner with the garden hose. "Water" I said as I turned in onto him full blast! He had no where to go and had to stand there and take it, only to once again walk back to the cabin, dripping from head to foot saying "Oh what a terrible person"! "See you at 7:00!!! Well last year he decided the water is very cold at 6:00am in the morning in Maine, although he found other ways to irritate and agitate and the battle between us goes on. I looking for a good super soaker; anyone got one I can borrow???
This afternoon we will be heading south to Scarborough to be a guest and exhibitor at Cabela's "Great Outdoors Days". I have the display all packed up and ready to load. I'm taking a few boxes of past issues of Outdoors Magazine with me of which I have been writing a column for over 4 years now, and this spring began an effort to distribute in the area as well. Looks like we could get some showers so I will have to cover the boxes with plastic so as not to get wet. I'm hoping this affiliation will be beneficial for the business as well as give us a little more exposure. There are many woman guides in Maine and the numbers have been increasing over the years, however not many are actual hunting guides. I had always thought that being a lady guide would attract more woman hunters, which statistics have shown are the fastest growing group of new hunters. This year I have 3 ladies coming hunting with us, which is the most we have ever had. One of the ladies has been hunting with us for 7 years. I will tell more about her along the way. I attempted to increase these numbers by approaching "Woman Hunter" magazine and it's representatives at the Harrisburg Sports show and offered special packages and hunts for women only. However they have yet to take me up on my offers which I thought a bit odd, but oh well...... I had taken this approach as a lady guide also thinking that I wouldn't be as accepted among the men, and this too has surprised me as I have been received with nothing but respect and have earned some admiration. It only goes to show that hard work will pay off in the long run, and one should never give up on their dreams.
No comments:
Post a Comment