“In the middle 1930s, I wrote an article on sheep hunting for Esquire. In it, I said, the only people who could afford to hunt sheep were the rich and the poor – the rich because money didn’t mean much to them; the poor because they had a lot of time that was worth little or nothing. I started out as a poor sheep hunter in Sonora. I was my own outfitter, guide, and cook. There were others like me. Later, I made more money, and a rich magazine was willing to finance my hunts so I could pound out stories.”
-Jack O’Connor, The Best of Jack O’Connor
5 responses so far ↓
1 Greg // Dec 26, 2007 at 1:16 pm
You will be proud to know, I’ve become a trapper as of late. It’s a very inexpensive sport. I’m only in it for about $1.05 and I’ve already bagged two! The trick is a steady hand to set the trap so it doesn’t go off and inadvertently capture your hand, leaving behind a nasty red indentation in the backs of your fingers. The best bait is American cheese in the trap, but I think it’s the 20-lb bag of Ol’ Roy that brings them in from far and wide.
Alas, I swore I would never, but I have finally taken up hunting in some form.
2 armchairoutfitter // Dec 26, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Greg, we’ve all got to start somewhere. Maybe you’ll work up to rabbits or beaver. Your comment reminds me of a game we used to play at our deer camp to keep the place free of mice. We’d set traps before bed, and then we’d wager even or odd as to how many mice we’d catch during the evening. Every time a trap snapped in the night, someone had incentive to get up and re-bait it.
3 Greg // Dec 27, 2007 at 10:19 am
If I’m going to kill any of Bambi’s little woodland friends next, it’s going to be the bushy-tailed tree rat.
4 armchairoutfitter // Dec 27, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Greg,
That would be a fine choice. Tree rats are beautiful creatures, particularly when breaded, fried golden brown, and served with biscuits and milk gravy.
5 Greg // Dec 28, 2007 at 9:37 am
Yes. I hear they taste like chicken.
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