thursday,
Being behind at work due to no rain I had to trap over 1000 acres of cotton that I had no idea where it was at. So out came the trusty Topomaps, road maps, and a not even close field map, I loaded the truck with 200 traps the trailor with the Big Cat, All the extras it could carry (chains, ropes, 5 gals of fuel, Cell phone, water, shovel, Fire Axe, Husky 21 chain Saw and other assorted odds and ends, Cranked up the truck with Buffett playing and took out.
I found the first 12 fields with no problem and within a little over and hour. I was off to find the next group, the field map showed that they were in a 10 square mile area with no raods, so I found the closest road and out came the topos, looking at both, maps I noticed that their was a small stream that went close to the fields that I was looking for, so I found the stream and started down it into the wild beyond. After killing 10 watermaccians within 1 mile I turned aroud and got a box of 12gague shells out of the truck and put the 9mm back and grabbed the trusty 12 Remmington SP. So i went back in to the creek and was starting to wonder why I was in a foot of water over a foot of mud and it had not rain in over three weeks, about that time the bottom fell out, i had fallen into a cross ditch that was four ft deep. so out came the chain and hook up the winch and out I came, wee that was fun.
after six miles of the creek and four winchings later and another 5 snakes i found the field, but it was underwater, Damn beavers. So it took about 2 hours to trap the 120 acres.
After going around the field i noticed an old logging raod heading back tword the highway, thinking it could not be worse than the stream went down it. But to my surprise it was coverd by skidder rutts and tree stumps. About two miles down the road I came to a locked gate of the AlabamaPower company with no way around it. I did not wont to tear the gate up but I had to get out so out came the husky and down feel 3 trees so that I could get around. Then the road became better so I hit 3 gear (about 25 mph) and was getting happy, BUT all of a sudden I had fallen into a nother ditch that was almost vertical and 6 ft deep, I was slung off of the guad and hit my knee on the rev shifter, after yelling a few very choice words out came the shovel to dig so that I could get to the winch cable. I got the cable and pull myself out.
I then decided to quit and go home, so I looked over the maps and then looked over the quad for damages, low and behold my right frt tire was flat. I saw that the road was heading the way I need to go so I gently creaped down it, after 25 miles of running a tire with about 1psi In it I found my way to the truck and went to tuscaloosa ,al. to sit down and a local bar and think and laugh about my day.
I ended up staying with a friend that night (thats whole other story) and limped home thursday, took the quad to the shop and tried to find a hole in the tire, but their was noone to be found. so I will filled them all up to 10 psi and went to bed the tire was fine just a little muddy.
My boss called this morn and asked me If I had gotton done, I said yea and put over 100 miles on the quad, he kinda chuckled and said that he forgot to tell me that they had logged the road and for me not to go in that already 5 people that I worked with and broken their quads trying to get in. ...
I told him thanks and that I was taking the next week off due to injuries and to give the cat a break. he talked me in to working the next two weeks and then give me a paid vacation the week after, so I am beach bound.

 

Great story, I am curious though about the 4 foot deep hole. When you drop into one of theses bad boys does water get in the air box and don't you end up blowing the fuse for the fan. I normally approach deep water with caution as I have had to reolace fuses on more than one occasion.

Regards Jim

 

i too usually aproach them too with caution, but these surprised me, howerver, the water was on a foot or two deep, so when I hat it cut the motor off to keep from killing the fan. the water was not deep enough to get in teh air box thank goodness.

 

BigCat:
Great story! Glad to hear you opted for the trusty 12 ga., I hate them damn snakes! Spiders too, for that matter. Hope the 'Cat is doing OK, and you are as well. Sounds like a rough day at the office. Heh heh heh.

Have fun on the vacation.

Mike