Post by: jimmytidmore on September 19, 2023, 11:35:47 AM
Back in early June, I was fortunate enough to win a bear hunt with Terry Green as part of this year’s Trad Gang St. Jude’s auction. I was telling Terry this past week that during the auction, I was helping coach my son’s all-star baseball team, and they had just put him on the mound to pitch right when the auction was coming to an end, and the bidding was starting to get serious. So I would watch him throw a pitch, glance back down to check the auction on my phone, and look up in time to catch the next pitch. This went on for about five minutes until the auction wrapped up, and I had placed the winning bid.
Being from Alabama, we don’t have many bears around. There are some in certain parts of the state, and people see them from time to time in North Alabama—where I live. But there’s no season for them. And so, hunting them has not been something that would be possible for me without traveling to another state. BUT… I have wanted to do it for a while.
I knew about the bears in the North Georgia mountains, which aren’t too far away. I have also known for years about the remoteness and ruggedness of the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area, and there has long been something about that place that was calling me too. But, I didn’t want to do it on my own. I felt like I’d just be spinning my wheels. And so, when I saw Terry offer this bear hunt opportunity on Trad Gang, I told my wife I had to try to win it. Fortunately, she was good with it and was happy for me when I did win.
I knew the hunt would be tough. Not only had I heard that from others, but Georgia publishes harvest records for their WMAs. And that data told me that my chances of killing a bear, a hog, or a deer would be low. But fortunately, that wasn’t really my goal with this. I only wanted someone to show me the ropes so that I could return one day—ultimately bringing my son along with me and, ultimately, somewhere down the line, putting an arrow in a bear.
Well, I have to say, that after my adventure with Terry, I have been bitten hard by the Cohutta Bear Hunting Bug. It’s all I have thought about since getting home on Sunday, and I can’t wait to get back. It wasn’t just a great adventure, but the beginning of a great adventure that will last many years.
Details about the hunt, along with some pictures coming next…
Post by: Wudstix on September 19, 2023, 12:09:58 PM
Post by: Bamboozle on September 19, 2023, 01:04:23 PM
Post by: rastaman on September 19, 2023, 01:08:49 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 19, 2023, 01:10:31 PM
On Thursday morning, I woke up early and loaded my duffel bag full of camo, ice chest full of drinks, bow case with longbow and broadhead tipped arrows, my Jet Sled in case things did come together, and my new Waldrop PacSeat into the bed of my truck. I then participated in the normal morning activities that are required to get the kids to school each morning. But, after promising my son one hundred times I’d keep him updated as best as I could (not much cell coverage in those mountains), and getting him deposited at school, I was on the road headed for Terry’s house in Georgia.
It was only about a 2.5-hour drive, and so even with the time zone change, I was pulling into Terry’s driveway at 11:30 Eastern. After formally introducing ourselves, we loaded Terry’s gear into the truck and were headed down the road, to our hotel in Chatsworth, GA where we would check in and get changed into our hunting clothes.
The drive to our hotel in Chatsworth let us get acquainted with one another and talk some about our plans for that afternoon. In both of our minds, this was a bonus day. But we still wanted to make the most of it. Being a neophyte bear hunter, I was relying totally on Terry’s wisdom and experience. Listening to him talk, it was clear he had a plan, and I was excited to execute it.
Because the drive up the mountain—to the place we’d hunt later in the trip—was long (about an hour and twenty minutes, with an hour of that being up a dirt road into the mountains), Terry maximized our time on that first afternoon by taking us to a spot down low, where he’d had success many times before.
Not long after we turned off the paved road, down the dirt and gravel road that led into the WMA, a nice buck walked out in front of us, in no big hurry. He wasn’t a giant or anything, but a very nice buck I’d slung an arrow at any day. Terry took this as an opportunity to remind me that any animal in Cohutta is a trophy. They are hard to come by. And if I got a shot at a legal deer, bear, or hog, to not pass anything by. I assured him that was my plan. And we both hoped that the small buck was a sign of good things to come.
We had made it to our parking spot by about 1:00, which meant we had plenty of time to hunt. After walking together for a bit, Terry had a loop he wanted to walk and another he wanted me to walk. We’d be scouting while we quietly slipped around and still hunted. The ground was damp and quiet, which made the conditions nearly perfect.
My loop was less than half a mile, but Terry told me to stay on it for two hours. He described every feature of it before nodding me off down into the woods. I was amazed at how everything was just how he described—each terrain feature and even the specific trees he wanted me to check out. It was obvious he had spent many, many hours in this place.
According to Terry’s instructions, I passed a giant white pine tree and followed a creek off to my left down to another, slightly larger creek. I crossed that bigger creek and made my way to the flat bottom on the other side. After finding a tree to stand up against, I sat and listened for a while, and enjoyed looking at all the ferns. As I stood there, the stress of life floated downstream with the sound of the creek.
According to Terry’s instructions, I was to follow that creek upstream, which would also lead me back uphill to the road. But, I had plenty of time, so I planted myself against that tree for probably ten minutes, just settling into my surroundings. While standing there, I noticed what I believed to be a hog wallow. Just like I hadn’t hunted bear before, neither had I hunted hogs. We do have hogs in Alabama, but not in the areas where I hunt. Nevertheless, I was pretty sure that the bare mud I was looking at was just that. And upon further inspection of the area, I was pretty sure the tracks I was seeing were hog prints, not deer—although they look very similar to me.
Well, to cut a long part of this story short, I slowly crept along the rest of the route, not seeing much sign to get excited about. I did find a pinch point right alongside the creek that I made a mental note of and marked on my phone. And as I came up onto the road after my two hours down in that bottom, Terry was there waiting with a similar story about the sign he saw on his route—not much, and nothing all that fresh.
After walking together into another area, hoping to find something more promising there, it was getting time for each of us to make our way to a place where we’d settle in to hunt that evening. Terry had a spot where he was headed, and I was surprised—although I shouldn’t have been—when he asked me if I had noticed that pinch point down by the creek. He said that is where he’d hunt if he were me, and I told him that was sort of what I was thinking anyway.
So, I made my way back down, hoping mainly that the hogs who had made the wallow and left the tracks would still be in the area. After finding a nice place to try out my Waldrop PacSeat for the first time in a real hunting situation, I settled in next to some good natural camo, and sat quietly for a few hours, hoping and waiting.
But darkness came with no luck coming my way. So I made my way back toward the road up above me, where I found Terry reporting similar results.
This was just a bonus day, though. And there would be more and new areas to check out tomorrow. And so, I went to bed excited that night—too excited to get much sleep, in fact. But that didn’t stop me from jumping out of bed the next morning, raring to go.
To be continued...
Post by: Russell Southerland on September 19, 2023, 02:08:48 PM
Post by: huckbuck on September 19, 2023, 02:41:10 PM
Post by: Terry Green on September 19, 2023, 08:24:08 PM
Jimmy is a story teller... more on that later. :campfire:
Post by: MCNSC on September 20, 2023, 08:41:29 AM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 20, 2023, 10:45:16 AM
I was waiting on the alarm when it went off at 5:30 on Friday morning—just like I would wait on it every morning of this hunt. (I paid the price when I got home, though. It took me a couple of days to feel rested again.) But Terry and I had agreed on a 6:00 a.m. departure each day, followed by a stop at Bojangles to grab biscuits for breakfast, and a couple more for lunch. After we both got a little dehydrated the day before and experienced leg cramps during the night, asking for several packs of mustard while paying at the drive-thru window also became part of our morning routine. (I also highly recommend the Liquid IV drink powder. They have much more electrolytes than Gatorade.)
But not being happy with the sign we saw in the spot we hunted the afternoon before, it was time to head further up the mountain to see if the bears were hanging out up there.
After arriving at our parking spot and making some mustard-drenched biscuits disappear, we grabbed our bows and entered the woods at a trailhead. We wouldn’t stay on the trail long, though. Instead, we worked our way out into the fern-covered mountainside, moving from white oak to white oak, hoping to find a tree that was hot.
Part of what we found was the forest floor covered in acorns. The same had been true down lower the day before. And what we would eventually discover that day, after hiking around on the side of this mountain for many, many hours, was that the abundance of acorns on the ground was keeping any particular tree from being the “hot” tree. We also eventually figured out that a lot of the acorns we were seeing were mountain oak—which aren’t necessarily preferred by deer or bear, even though they will eat them. Problem was we couldn’t find any spot where they were eating them—not the white oak or the mountain oak. No empty acorn shells anywhere, really. Even when we would find branches of acorns cut from the trees, it was obvious that the bears weren’t lapping them up. And while we found some scat here and there, it was all old—nothing fresh.
Before ruling out this area altogether, we still needed to climb higher up this particular mountain to see what we could find up there. But before we did, we decided to see if we could gather some intelligence from the hunters whose ruckus we could hear in the nearby campground the whole time we were scouting. So we headed back down to the truck, and after a short break, we drove into the campground to see what we could learn. Unfortunately, what we learned wasn’t very encouraging.
After parking the truck just down from a campsite where a pretty sizeable group was set up, we made our way over toward them and were happy to be welcomed into their camp. What we learned was that this particular family had been coming to this same spot for the past 23 years. They spent two weeks each year chasing bears, and one of the guys told us he had killed 13 bears during that time—mostly in the same spot, it sounded, and not too far from their camp. But, having been there for a week, his assessment was that the bear sign and acorn situation was as tough, or nearly as tough, as he had ever seen them. He had spotted one bear on his first day of scouting, and that had been it.
Even though we had only been hunting and scouting for less than a day at this point, his experience matched ours. We weren’t seeing anything to get excited about. That said, there was still more to explore, and after having a bit of a break in the campground, it came time to make our way to the top of the mountain we had begun to explore earlier in the day. So back to the trailhead we returned, and up to the top we went.
For the most part, though, it was more of the same up there. We could see where animals were moving nearly everywhere, in and out of the ferns and other overgrowth. The same had been true down below. But these weren’t really trails, per se, just random paths through the brush that the animals were making (Terry called them pickin’ trails). Whether it was deer, bear, or hogs wasn’t usually clear. But we spent another few hours up top, still not finding any particular spot that was screaming to us, “Setup here!”
On the way back down, however, Terry and I each stumbled upon things worthy of a picture. I found a tree that had been climbed at least a couple of times by a bear, and Terry found a little slithery friend not too far from where his next step would have been.
While, for the most part, we were striking out on the sign, we were up on this mountain to hunt, and had no better plan for the afternoon. And, as I said earlier, animals were certainly moving through the area, even if we couldn’t pinpoint exactly where they might show up. So Terry picked out a couple of spots for us to hunt that afternoon—spots in that area that had produced for him before. And so, after coming back down the mountain, and taking another short break at the truck, we headed back into the woods we had scouted thoroughly earlier than morning and set up a few hundred yards away from each other for an afternoon sit.
Unfortunately, the hours passed with nothing moving by either of us. But, that didn’t take away from the beauty of the area. I couldn’t have asked for a better location to spend that Friday afternoon. While an animal on the ground would have made it better, it was plenty good enough just to experience it.
I am pretty sure that when our heads hit the pillow that night, neither of us was certain what the plan was going to be for the next morning. According to my phone, we had walked over six miles that day—mostly before about 2:00. And yet, we hadn’t found anything so far that was calling us back.
What neither of us knew when we closed our tired eyes that night, though, was that the pieces would start to come together early the next morning.
Post by: Terry Green on September 20, 2023, 11:04:42 AM
Post by: bama on September 20, 2023, 12:40:19 PM
Post by: Terry Green on September 20, 2023, 01:02:05 PM
Great stuff! You have a knack for writing.
You have no idea....... we will be getting into that shortly.....
Post by: D Durham on September 20, 2023, 01:06:47 PM
Post by: supernaut on September 20, 2023, 01:23:43 PM
:campfire:
Post by: Kodiak Fan on September 20, 2023, 07:56:53 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 21, 2023, 10:52:21 AM
As I said, after struggling to find the kind of sign that would make you want to stop and hunt any of the places we had scouted, Terry and I headed back up the mountain on Saturday morning, without a plan for what we’d do after eating our Bojangles biscuits. We continued to talk to other hunters who were reporting the same situation we were seeing—just not much sign. So we weren’t sure what our plan should be for the next to last day of my trip. But, trying something different seemed like a good option. And that’s exactly what we did.
When we had almost made it to the spot we had decided to park that morning, Terry suddenly blurted out, “STOP!” before telling me to back up. After putting the truck in reverse and rolling backward a bit, I saw Terry pointing off the side of the road at an obvious trail leading out of the woods. When we glanced to the other side of the road, a matching trail on the other side told us that animals were crossing here.
Not having anything else to go on that day, and knowing we needed to try something different, we drove forward, looking for a place to turn around. As we did, we noticed a few more of these trails leading out of an open area that was set back in the woods a bit. This piqued our interest more and made us even more excited to turn around and find a place to park.
After parking the truck, we gobbled up our mustard and biscuits, grabbed our gear, and headed through the woods back toward the open area from where the trails were leading. When we came out of the trees and into the sun, we found something like an overgrown field with more of those random “pickin’ trails” we had been seeing all week. We meandered around for a bit, looking for anything that might grab our attention, and eventually followed some of the trails out of the field back into the woods. We continued heading in the general direction those trails were leading for several minutes—both scouting and hunting. Again, we were looking for anything that would give us a reason to hunt this area.
And that’s when we found it.
Terry’s hunch had turned out to be a good one. Because suddenly, we came upon a trail that wasn’t like any of the other trails we had seen that week—except maybe the hiking trail we had used to get back into one of the other areas. In fact, I even tried to argue with Terry a few times that there was no way this could be a game trail. It had to be a hiking trail. But he was adamant, “No, this is a bear trail.”
I remained skeptical, though, as we made our way down it. Not because I didn’t trust Terry, but because I had never seen a trail like this. I was so skeptical I even pulled up the map on my phone, expecting to find a marked hiking trail right where we were standing. But Terry was right, there wasn’t one. “Nor is there a trailhead anywhere around here,” he reminded me.
So eventually, I accepted it. We were walking on a bear trail—no, it was a bear HIGHWAY. And it hadn’t been made last week, last month, or last year. Even to a neophyte bear hunter like me, I knew this was a trail that had been used for years and years and years—maybe decades. In fact, it was better than the manmade and man-maintained hiking trails in the area! As we made our way down it, the fact that this was, indeed, a bear trail became more and more clear to me.
We ended up following it deeper into the woods for a ways. The walk was taking us slowly downhill, but it wasn’t too steep—not by Cohutta standards, anyway. Happily, after slowly walking it for maybe half an hour, not knowing what we might run into, we found a couple of junction points where the trail split into different directions. We tested the wind in those areas and talked about good places to set up if we were to hunt it today—which I knew we were. And then, knowing we had seen enough, and not wanting to follow the trail any further and potentially mess up the hunting for that day, we slowly made our way back out.
Before we made it back to the truck, we had already agreed this was the hottest spot we had found. And with it being Saturday, and with me planning to head back to Alabama midday on Sunday, we both agreed that I should zero in on this location for the remainder of the hunt.
So with that decision made, and it being midmorning now, we headed back to the campground to check in with the group of hunters we had met yesterday. They were still struggling just as much as we were. But, they were cooking a late breakfast and having a good time, nonetheless.
Neither of us had shot our bows since I arrived on Thursday, and after leaving the other hunters, Terry announced that he was going to wander around and do a little stump shooting. I had a few things to do at the truck, but grabbed my bow and a judo-tipped arrow, and eventually joined him. Then, after making sure a few leaves were good and dead, we headed back to the truck to discuss our plans for the evening.
The weather forecast and the clouds that were building over our heads told us that rain was coming. But I was here to hunt, and rain wouldn’t keep me out of the woods. Particularly not after finding the “Bear Highway” earlier that morning.
I was fortunate that Terry’s priority on this hunt was the same as mine, for me to get a shot at a bear, a deer, or a hog. And while there were two good spots to hunt along the “highway,” Terry didn’t want to add any additional pressure to the area. He wanted me to go in alone. And so, that was the plan.
Eventually, the rain started, and we camped out in the truck for a couple of hours, waiting until a little before 4:00, to drive back toward the area I would be hunting that afternoon. After borrowing and donning some rain gear from Terry, I grabbed the rest of my gear and headed up into the woods toward one of those junction points on the “Bear Highway.” When I arrived, I checked the wind and wasn’t surprised it had shifted after the rain moved in. But, I quickly found a great spot for my PacSeat, and had it set up in minutes, somewhere between 15-20 yards off the trail, depending on which shooting lane I was looking at.
Terry and I had already talked about how in this particular spot, a bear would be on me before I knew it, so I better be ready. And along with the rain had come some fog, which made this even more true. My visibility was definitely limited, and with the ground being as soft as it was, I wasn’t going to hear anything coming down the trail—or even moving in the brush off the trail. Not to mention that even though the rain quickly stopped, big drops were still coming down heavy out of the trees, drowning out any other sound the woods were making.
So I was on high alert. In fact, I told Terry later that night that I was mentally exhausted from being on point for over three hours. I had to keep my head on a constant swivel and my eyes scanning in every direction. That, along with the anticipation of what could come down the trail any minute, really wore me out. I’m sure some of you can relate to what I’m saying.
With about an hour of hunting light left, and with my legs asking to be stretched, I stood up to lean my back against a tree that was about ten feet directly behind me. I thought this might give me a better view of the area around me, but I’m not sure that it did. My setup in the PacSeat that afternoon was really, really good. But, I decided to remain where I was, and it was from that vantage point against the tree that I would watch the daylight slowly turn to darkness (something that was aided by the fog) without any animal ever coming down the “highway.”
As I walked out that evening, I knew I only had one sit remaining—tomorrow (Sunday) morning. But, I was very confident in the spot we had found. There was no doubt bears were moving through and using this area regularly. I only needed one to mess up and do it while I was there.
Post by: F. Dobbs on September 21, 2023, 01:48:14 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 21, 2023, 01:51:46 PM
Geeezzzz I miss this Charlie Lamb type story telling!!! This is paramount!!!
That's a high compliment, sir. Thank you.
Post by: Sam Spade on September 21, 2023, 02:07:44 PM
Geeezzzz I miss this Charlie Lamb type story telling!!! This is paramount!!!
YES..... WHAT HE SAID
Post by: Terry Green on September 21, 2023, 02:20:58 PM
Jimmy thought it was a hiking trail because it was too wide. But Jimmy had never seen a bear trail before..... Jimmy didn't know that bears leave such wide footprints versus a deer or a hog
Post by: Terry Green on September 21, 2023, 02:30:55 PM
Post by: Momma Kohunna on September 21, 2023, 03:03:01 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 21, 2023, 03:17:07 PM
I heard part of a sermon this morning, we will travel to hear more. :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Would love to have y’all!
Post by: Terry Green on September 21, 2023, 03:29:09 PM
As far as Bear trails yes, I have seen them many times before and have followed and hunted them. They are amazing, they are not your normal deer or hog trails where they are narrow and chunked up. Bear trails are wide due to their stance and are matted down and not chunk up at all.... So they can appear to be hiking trails, Yet they are not..... Hold on for a picture of something I have never seen before in this type of form.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 21, 2023, 11:36:38 PM
On Sunday, I woke up hoping this would be the day that the journey toward my first animal with a traditional bow would come to an end. I really believed it might be, and I was excited.
On the drive down the mountain the night before, a nice bear had run out in front of the truck, just about 20 yards away from us. It was exciting to see, and as silly as it sounds, just getting to see one made my trip feel somewhat complete. At the same time, though, seeing a bear cross the road is a lot different than having one walk in front of you during a hunting situation—and that, of course, is what I was really after.
The further we made our way up the mountain that morning, the thicker and thicker the fog got. I knew my visibility today would be hindered even more than it was yesterday—particularly if I sat in the same spot. So I was thinking that I might move further down the trail—further down both in distance and elevation—to the other junction we found, to maybe get out of the thickest of the fog. But that would be a decision I’d make once I got into the woods and analyzed the situation.
After the hour-long climb up the mountain, we made it to my entry point, pulled off the side of the road, and enjoyed our mustard biscuits for one last time. Our hopes were high today, and for good reason—we had located a really good spot to hunt, and that’s where I was headed.
When the color of the sky outside turned just right, I gathered up my gear, received Terry’s wishes of good luck, and headed off in the same direction I had walked yesterday afternoon. As I heard Terry pulling away in my truck, the reality of the situation hit me—this was it. He was coming back for me in a few hours, and my time in Cohutta would be done.
As it turned out, the fog at the second junction spot, further on down the mountain and further on down the trail, turned out to be thicker than it was in the spot I had sat the day before. One glance down the trail told me that. So, I made my way right back to where I had set up the PacSeat the previous afternoon and opened the chair up right there once again. The wind was still good for this location and remained that way for the duration of my final sit.
But the fog was thick—really thick. At times, I’m not sure my visibility was much more than twenty yards. And just like yesterday, this meant being on high alert and doing everything I could to keep from letting my guard down or getting distracted from the task at hand in any way. No looking at the phone. No drifting off into my imagination. No nodding off to sleep.
And, with large drops of water still coming down out of the trees, and the damp ground masking even the sound of my footsteps when I walked in, I knew I wouldn’t be hearing the footfalls of any animals making their way toward me. And so, intense focus and attentiveness were what the situation demanded, which meant that, just like the afternoon before, it was exhausting—exhausting but also exhilarating because I knew at any moment my peripheral vision could pick up some movement that might just be a bear. That’s what I was hoping for anyway.
After about an hour to an hour and a half of sitting still and keeping my head on a swivel, I remembered the tree behind me that I had stood at for about an hour the evening before. While standing at that tree didn’t really help me see the trail out in front of me any better, and only made a potential shot a few yards longer, standing there did allow me to monitor what was going on behind me a bit more easily. So, I decided I might move back there for thirty minutes or so.
As I said, the ground was soft and silent, and I made my way to the tree without alerting anything in the vicinity of my presence. I also assume that animals can’t see through fog any better than we can. So when my back came to rest against the tree, I was certain that I was still the only living creature in the area who knew I was there.
I had probably stood there for ten minutes before I noticed it. And while this is not as exciting as my eyes picking up on a black blur moving through the trees, it still got my heart pumping and turned out to be the highlight of my trip. (I guess it doesn’t take much for me.) But, after standing there for about ten minutes, I glanced down toward my feet and was shocked to see a big pile of fresh—and I mean very, very fresh—bear scat less than a foot from where my left foot was planted. It’s a wonder I didn’t step in it.
Remember, I had stood in this exact location just yesterday evening. And it certainly wasn’t there then. In fact, it couldn’t have been there then—it was WAY too fresh. Later, after seeing the pictures, Terry would suggest that the bear may have even been in there while we were eating our biscuits—that’s how fresh this scat was.
But whether the bear had shown up right after I walked out last night, or whether I bumped it out of the area on my way in that morning, the fact was, Terry and I had scouted out a spot for me to hunt, and a bear had walked, not just by it, but right stinking through it! Literally, one foot from where I had now stood for the past two hunts was a big pile of scat! And not only that, I could see deep tracks in the dirt moving off directly behind the tree I was still leaning against. They were so deep, in fact, that even standing on one foot with all my weight on one heel, I could not bounce up and down and make a print that deep—and I’m not exactly what anyone would call skinny!
Yes, a bear had come through here, and I had just missed it. And, in my book, for my first bear hunt, this was a success. And so, while I knew I probably wasn’t going home with a bear in the back of the truck today—not unless something happened quickly—I was going home certain that one day I would leave these woods with a bear in my truck. Yes, I could do this. I really could come over here and kill a bear. Heck, if I had another few days, I could probably kill this bear. And if not this one, another one that was part of the trail maintenance crew on the “Bear Highway” Terry and I had found.
And so, after standing there for a bit longer, happily observing the evidence the bear had left behind, I was satisfied and deemed the trip a total success. I was ready to tell Terry all about it, and I was ready to tell my family all about it too. Yes, it was time to go home. Mission accomplished.
CONCLUSION
It is no exaggeration when I say that this is a trip I will never forget. Honestly, I kind of need to forget it, at least in some small measure. Because I have been distracted by it all week! And I have stuff to do! It’s like my body is back home, but my heart and mind are still on that mountain. I have wondered about that bear every day. What’s it doing? Has it been back by there? When I return, will it come by and visit again? While I don’t know the answers to those questions about the bear, I do know this—I will be back. If not this year, definitely next year. And I will be back to the “Bear Highway” for sure.
As I said at the beginning of this story, this wasn’t just a great adventure, but the beginning of an ongoing bear-hunting adventure that will last many years. And I can’t wait to share each installment right here with each and every one of you. Thank you for reading. Grace and peace to all of you. And happy hunting!
Thank you, Terry. Glad to call you a friend.
Post by: glenbo on September 22, 2023, 05:04:06 AM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 07:36:25 AM
Thank you for taking us along. I very much enjoyed your story and photos.
Thanks for reading. Glad you enjoyed it.
Post by: bama on September 22, 2023, 07:55:35 AM
Post by: supernaut on September 22, 2023, 08:44:15 AM
The recap was excellent and I really liked your pictures as well. Outstanding all the way around!
:campfire:
Post by: rastaman on September 22, 2023, 11:45:23 AM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 03:24:08 PM
Now this is the kind of hunting story i've been looking forward to. You "Charlie Lambed" the telling of the story up some. He was probably the ultimate story teller here on Tradgang for years so i mean that as a compliment. I've been bear hunting at Cohutta before and you took me back again with your descriptive words and pictures. Thanks for taking us along and i look forward to your future adventures being shared! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Having read some of his stories here, I absolutely took it as a compliment. Thank you for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed. Can't wait to get back over to Cohutta and hopefully have a story that ends with even a bit more excitement.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 03:25:46 PM
Thanks so much for taking us along on your hunt!
The recap was excellent and I really liked your pictures as well. Outstanding all the way around!
:campfire:
Thanks for coming along! Enjoyed your story the other day as well!
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 03:28:49 PM
Congratulations on a great hunt and a great report!
Thanks for reading! Glad you enjoyed. While over in that jungle, I couldn't help but think that one of your string trackers might be in order. Probably need to pick one up. Looks like you've come up with a fantastic product. Congratulations on that.
Post by: Kyle85 on September 22, 2023, 06:17:00 PM
Loved the story and was fascinated to learn about the bear "highway" - had no idea they were a thing and I would have been as skeptical as you upon first hearing of it! Thank you for sharing and for giving us all a leg up in the game. -Kyle
Post by: varmint101 on September 22, 2023, 06:43:36 PM
Post by: Captain*Kirk on September 22, 2023, 08:03:24 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 09:45:35 PM
Jimmy,
Loved the story and was fascinated to learn about the bear "highway" - had no idea they were a thing and I would have been as skeptical as you upon first hearing of it! Thank you for sharing and for giving us all a leg up in the game. -Kyle
Thanks for reading! Like I said, I was convinced it was a hiking trail.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 09:46:20 PM
Pretty awesome!
I know I had an awesome time! Glad you enjoyed the story.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 22, 2023, 09:48:37 PM
Thank you for sharing your story. It's the kind where you think. "Gee...I wish I was there with him", and then realize, "Well, damn if I wasn't!" It was that good! Looking forward to reading more stories of yours, be they about bears or squirrels. It's a rare writer that can take you vicariously to a place you've never been and leave you with a firm mental vision cemented in your mind. Kudos! :thumbsup:
Thank you, Kirk. I appreciate the encouragement. Look forward to sharing more when I have something else worth sharing.
Post by: Charlie Lamb on September 22, 2023, 11:53:58 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 23, 2023, 09:24:44 AM
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Thank you for reading!
Post by: Hud on September 24, 2023, 04:10:51 PM
Post by: Sam Spade on September 25, 2023, 08:52:13 AM
It's refreshing to hear a real story and not just a feeder sit.
Congrats, and thank you for supporting Saint Jude. That's been a great thing here for years.
Post by: frassettor on September 25, 2023, 04:41:47 PM
Post by: smokin joe on September 25, 2023, 05:46:35 PM
Post by: rvrbtm on September 25, 2023, 09:13:55 PM
writing. Are you an English composition instructor?
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 10:55:36 AM
Very good story and the pictures really help. :thumbsup:
Thanks for reading Hud. Agree about the pictures. Wish I'd have taken more, but we were blowin' and goin' the whole time.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 11:07:32 AM
I have to agree with everyone here and agree simplewise. Thank you so much for sharing your adventure. Not just another bow hunting hunt but an absolute adventure.
It's refreshing to hear a real story and not just a feeder sit.
Congrats, and thank you for supporting Saint Jude. That's been a great thing here for years.
Sam, Really appreciate you reading. Glad you enjoyed it. It was definitely an adventure... hopefully, the first of many over there. Glad that I was able to support St. Jude as a part of it.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 11:08:27 AM
Great story and pictures. Thanks for sharing. Terry is a class act and a A-1 host!
He was a pretty good bear guide too!!!
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 11:11:34 AM
Great storytelling and photos, Jimmy. What a great adventure you and Terry had.
Joe, Glad you enjoyed the story and the pictures. If I remember correctly, we were bidding against each other on this hunt. Thanks for letting me win :) If you haven't, you should definitely find a way to hunt Cohutta one day. It was a beautiful place.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 11:17:24 AM
What they said plus great
writing. Are you an English composition instructor?
Thank you! No, I just have a lot of practice under my belt. I'm a pastor and do a lot of writing because of that. I've also written a few hunting books for kids. But I appreciate the compliment.
Thanks for reading the long thread!
Post by: smokin joe on September 26, 2023, 12:31:05 PM
I am looking forward to meeting you on a hunt in the not-too-distant future.
Post by: elkken on September 26, 2023, 12:35:27 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 12:53:45 PM
Jimmy: I thought it was a good idea to bid that hunt up and try to get it. I knew it would be worth the money. I am glad a good guy like you won it. I have known Terry a long time, have hunted and fished with him many times, and he is one of my best friends. As soon as I knew that you won the hunt I knew you would love it. Yes, Terry is a first-class guide and person.
I am looking forward to meeting you on a hunt in the not-too-distant future.
I look forward to it as well, Joe.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 26, 2023, 12:54:17 PM
A fine hunting adventure, thanks for sharing the excitement and anticipation of your hunt. Well done ... :thumbsup: :archer2:
elkken... Glad you enoyed it! Thanks for reading.
Post by: ron w on September 26, 2023, 02:57:09 PM
Post by: Walt Francis on September 28, 2023, 12:28:10 AM
You sir, have a nack for expressing your thoughts and feeling with the written word, I look forward to reading the recounting of your future adventures while afield with the stick and string.
Post by: jimmytidmore on September 28, 2023, 07:48:26 AM
Thanks for taking the time to recount your hunt and share your feelings with us, it is much appreciated.
You sir, have a nack for expressing your thoughts and feeling with the written word, I look forward to reading the recounting of your future adventures while afield with the stick and string.
Walt, thank you so much for reading and for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope to contribute more soon. I'm counting down the days in Alabama. Still have a couple of weeks to go.
Post by: Russell Southerland on October 01, 2023, 07:15:37 PM
Post by: jimmytidmore on October 01, 2023, 09:23:43 PM
Fabulous read!!! Thanks for taking us along. I can definitely see the *adventure* part of this story in your writings. Well done. :clapper:
Russell, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for reading. Strategizing about getting back over there and trying again.
Post by: Terry Green on October 02, 2023, 10:40:07 AM
Anyway, I really enjoyed the St Jude Bear hunt with Jimmy. What a great guy to hang out with! He was a real trooper and hung in there till the very end.
Yes, is certainly was another Cohutta Adventure that started out and ended with lots of anticipation. I know full well how he felt during every still hunt through an area and sit, with sometimes a 'riveting' feeling at times. Not sure if Jimmy has every been 'on point' like his last to sits or not, but he sure the heck was, and I know the fog heightened that to a new level as well.
It was a strange year to say the least. There were some people we talked to that had been camping for two weeks, hanging stands and scouting for a few days before the season, then hunting for a week before we got there and their group of 6-8 had only seen one bear since they had been there.
Jimmy also was a great leaf killer during our 2nd day at lunch, the boy can shoot.
The drive up and down the mountain everyday allowed Jimmy and I to get to know each other really well, and solve all the worlds problems.
I'd like to thank Jimmy for bidding on this hunt and sharing it with me. And, I was so tickled to hear about his son Jet's enthusiasm and determination after watching the DVD.
Thanks for every thing Jimmy, it was a pleasure Sir. :campfire:
Post by: D Durham on October 03, 2023, 10:03:01 AM