TRAPPING HAS IT'S SURPRISES!!!!!!

GROWING UP ON THE FARM, IN THE ALLEN FAMILY, PROVIDED US WITH SOME INTERESTING EXPERIENCES.....

TRAPPING HAS IT'S SURPRISES

by Fred M. Allen\

During the years immediately following the end of World War II, times were hard as families on the farm struggled to make ends meet. We sought ways to find extra income to help meet our basic needs, especially during the winter months. Mama (Lorette Bell Allen) traded chickens and eggs to the chicken peddler each week in exchange for basic supplies as he drove his mobile grocery store our way. We used a hand-operated creamer to separate cream from milk and kept it in a large can until it was full and ready for the market. We killed hogs to provide pork, and of course, we ate fried chicken and enjoyed vegetables and fruit from our supply of about 500 cans and jars which we had preserved during harvest time, so we ate well.

My older brother, Bob, found ways to help bring in extra income by trapping along the Sandy Creek which ran through our farm. He trapped many opossums, dried their skins on a flat board, and sold them at the market in Paris. He and our daddy, B. Fred Allen, of Taylortown in southeast Lamar County, Texas, worked together to try to trap mink whose skins were much more valuable than those of the opossums. 

One day Bob ran his traps to see if he caught anything. Much to his surprise, he indeed caught something: not a mink nor an opossum, but you guessed it, a SKUNK. He studied the situation and decided to play a little game and find out how far the skunk could shoot his terrible-smelling spray which was its only defense against those who would harm him. Bob cut a small sapling similar to a ten-foot fishing pole and used it to jab the skunk. About the third time he punched the skunk, he learned an important lesson: the skunk did his thing and covered Bob with the awful-smelling spray which sent him home in a hurry.

When Bob arrived Mama refused to let him in or near the house as he was covered with skunk spray, so she ordered him to stay behind the chicken house, strip off his clothes, and wait for a tub of warm water to be brought for him to take a bath before he could put on clean clothes and enter the house. He also was told to burn his filthy clothes which he did. Later he would return to his trap, kill the skunk and remove him from the trap so he could continue trapping for mink. He learned the hard way that skunks can shoot their spray much farther than he had thought! He didn't forget that lesson.

Barbara Ann Brown

President at Production Dynamics Inc.

5 年

I live near Percy Priest Lake,? last year many skunks found their way into many sub divisions...my stories of "skunky encounters"are last years, or last month! I love your stories!

John H Schmucker

Singer, songwriter, guitarist at J Henry Music Company

5 年

When I was a young guy, my brothers talked me Into peeing on an electric fence! The jolt was to the “head” on my shoulders!!!

Kristy Cepielik

Songwriter, Performer at KorpusKristy.com & Therapist

5 年

Here is how my family traps a possum, or any animal for that matter

Stephen W.

GREENBROOK ENGINEERING, helping the Steel Industry get it done! When you need to get it from "SOLD!" to "IN FOR FABRICATION", let Greenbrook Engineering help you get your Steel Detailing and Connection Design done!

5 年

Like the day I caught a beautiful 14” Rainbow Trout in my muskrat trap...

Dale Hempel

Sales Support Manager at PlateSmart and ConnectWise System Administrator

5 年

Ha ha ha!

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Duane Allen的更多文章

  • CHRTMAS IN TENNESSEE!!!!!

    CHRTMAS IN TENNESSEE!!!!!

    Have you thought about spending #Christmas in #Tennessee this year? #TennesseeTourism @TNVacation @visitmusiccity…

    16 条评论
  • CHECK IT OUT....OUR CHRISTMAS RESIDENCY JUST ANNOUNCED!!!!

    CHECK IT OUT....OUR CHRISTMAS RESIDENCY JUST ANNOUNCED!!!!

    https://mailchi.mp/2911/the-oak-ridge-boys-announce-christmas-in-tennessee-show-at-gaylord-opryland-resort?e=28a6b14dcb

    10 条评论
  • TONIGHT!!!!!

    TONIGHT!!!!!

    CHECK IT OUT!!!!!

    14 条评论
  • HAPY EASTER WEEKEND!!!!!

    HAPY EASTER WEEKEND!!!!!

    @oakridgeboys Home for EASTER WEEKEND … Have a great one dear friends … remember the Sacrifice of Good Friday and the…

    14 条评论
  • CHECK IT OUT!!!!

    CHECK IT OUT!!!!

    https://www.theepochtimes.

    2 条评论
  • OAK RIDGE BOYS IN DENVER!!!!

    OAK RIDGE BOYS IN DENVER!!!!

    On sale now! Tickets for our Paramount Theatre show in Denver on August 31. https://www.

    8 条评论
  • OAK RIDGE BOYS IN TOP 5 FOR LIBERA AWARD!!!!

    OAK RIDGE BOYS IN TOP 5 FOR LIBERA AWARD!!!!

    A2IM is a coalition of independent record labels and distributors. Their annual Libera Awards honor the best in…

    25 条评论
  • VERY INTERESTING TREATMENT...

    VERY INTERESTING TREATMENT...

    https://www.theepochtimes.

  • OAK RIDGE BOYS IN RODEO AUSTIN.

    OAK RIDGE BOYS IN RODEO AUSTIN.

    Rodeo Austin Shows are now on sale. This is the ticket link: https://rodeoaustin.

    5 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了