This is a book about true incidents that happened to me or my friends, some funny, some dumb and some wierd.
Stories about hunting, fishing, dogs, relatives, and others are told in this book. There is an overall theme of safety while participating in outdoor activities and what can happen if you don't use your brain!
Excerpt
HAWK!
Birds of prey are amazing, in that they look for their food from very high in the sky, with telescopic vision. When they spot a choice meal, they fold into a diving mode and literally strike the victim with a high speed dive, 60 to 90 mph, and sink their talons in them. I have seen it happen several times and if the rodent or bird they have captured is small enough, they will not hesitate to go back in the air and eat as they fly away.
A friend and I had installed a large and comfortable tree stand a short distance from home. It was archery season and I decided to spend a few hours sitting in it. I placed my water proof hat on the seat and made my self comfortable. I prepared my equipment for the anticipated trophy that might walk by and entertained myself watching squirrels rob the remaining corn cobs from the adjacent cornfield.
As I started to relax, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the moment, I may have started to drift off in my thoughts as can happen when there is no other activity. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my head and neck literally felt as though they were standing up! I quickly turned and looked up and about twenty feet above me there was a small brown hawk about the size of a chicken about to sink his talons into my scalp!
When he saw my movement he was as surprised as I was. That partridge in an apple tree was much larger than he thought. He had spotted my brown hair, (It was at that time) and considered having a nice meal of grouse or something.
He was so surprised when he saw my movement that when he peeled off he couldn’t stop and crashed through the branches next to me. The last I saw of him he was walking out from beneath my tree, looking up and wondering what I was! That was the first and only time I was on the menu. I wonder how much damage those talons would have done if he had struck.
I think it was either an immature Coopers Hawk or a Sharp Shinned hawk. It was memorable at any rate and from now on I will keep my head covered and protected!
Professional Reviews
Early Memories
By coteb
Format:Kindle Edition
Very entertaining! well written stories about small town america! written from real experiences can't get better then true stories! especially liked about the authors hunting dog stories. maybe next book could be written about his intersting family !
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice job Coach! November 14, 2012
The author of A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS is a mentor, coach and friend of mine. When I read his tales, I could picture his face and hear his voice. The same voice that told me, "tuck the ball tight and carry it on the outside, away from your enemy. Stay low until you break outta the pack." There was no screaming from this man, just a deep, confident, no-bull message.
As an author myself, I've been told that my greatest attribute is that I write like I talk. I think people that know Mr. McClintock will say the same about his writing. His hunting stories are interesting and I enjoyed them very much. I must admit (I am a sucker for any dog story.) I hope A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS is just a taste of what's to come; for I know he has a deep well of experiences to draw from. Nice job Coach!
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, true tales, wit and wisdom for lovers of the great outdoors, October 4, 2012
The author's freshman outing was very enjoyable. The writing style is very engaging, and can be best described not as writing at all, but as "shooting the breeze", the kind you would expect to hear around the wood stove of an old general store on a cold, crisp Saturday morning.
This book is filled with nuggets of truth and insight; whether it be in hunter safety, the grandeur of nature's animals, the personality of a trusty hunting dog, mishaps along the trap lines, and countless "I should have known better" yarns. If you've spent any time in small-town, rural America or in time taking in our great outdoors, then this book will be a welcome addition to your shelf.
For the sake of complete openness and transparency it should be mentioned that the author and I are from the same home town, though 30 years apart in age - no, I am not 107. Still, this book will no doubt garner widespread appeal to anyone who is an outdoorsman (sorry if that is not the politically correct, gender-neutral term), and anyone that seeks to refresh memories of a simpler, quieter time.
So, grab a cup of cider, yeah, the unpasteurized, starting to get a bit "tart" kind, fire up the wood stove, put a pot of venison stew on to simmer, kick up your feet no doubt covered in thick, gray flannel socks, and read this book. I can think of no better way, other than being outdoors that is, to spend your time. Oh, and as the author said repeatedly, when you do next venture out into the wild, make sure to take that digital camera...anyone can shot with those.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Memories, September 21, 2012
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poppadragon - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS (Kindle Edition)
So many of the stories remind me of others like them. It's fun to think back on all the things you hear and personally know about in the field.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read about real life outdoor tales author makes it fun to read, September 16, 2012
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djakub517 - See all my reviews
This review is from: A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS (Kindle Edition)
Enjoyed reading these experiences of the author and his friends and family also the helpful hints if out in the woods. Keep up the good work. Hope you are working on another creative story.
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5.0 out of 5 stars good read, September 11, 2012
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coteb - See all my reviews
This review is from: A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS (Kindle Edition)
Very entertaining! well written stories about small town america! written from real experiences can't get better then true stories! especially liked about the authors hunting dog stories. maybe next book could be written about his intersting family !
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5.0 out of 5 stars funny true stories, September 10, 2012
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mchoots - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A CURMUDGEON'S TRUE TALES OF THE OUTDOORS (Kindle Edition)
i enjoy funny stories that happen to others and not just to me. some are just hard to believe but happen to us all.
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