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Author
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Topic: Leonard and Mercer's Big Adventure
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 03:19 PM
I met up with Mercer at his home yesterday and we checked out his operation and I was very impressed.
Then, we left to do a bit of night hunting and check some of his cages that he had out.
It was very easy to see the advantage of his cage design, the way a set of three nest together, to save room in the back of the truck.
We lit up a nice tom, while checking cages. See here:
and here:
But then, (teaser) the night got interesting!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted December 11, 2009 03:50 PM
That is a neat looking trap. Any more pics of em nested together?
Nice cat!
Mark
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 04:06 PM
We always read reports in the paper and on TV where someone is out in the desert and finds a body.
On several occasions, I have had conversations with people. With the amount of time that I spend in remote areas, why is it I have never discovered a dumped body, or something? Not that I would want to, but just to blindly stumble onto a dead person thrown in a ditch somewhere, that's blind luck.
So, last night we were having a good time, checking traps and pulling some that were unproductive, when we came upon a vehicle partially pulled off to the side of the two track.
We went on by, but I asked the question of Mercer...was the back open? and he said it wasn't but I had some sort of mental image of something not being right with the situation.
Of course, once we reached the end of the road and turned around, we took a much slower and better look at the Jeep Cherokee with the US ARMY RETIRED decal on the back window.
Then we stopped about maybe 40 feet past the vehicle and discussed the situation, the passanger side door was definitely open, and it was raining at the time......
Then I asked Mercer if he had a handgun with him and he said "Glock".
So, we approached the vehicle. I mean, you know, the guy could have had a sleeping bag under a bush and been sleeping with a gun. You don't necessarily want to startle somebody at 2 A.M. twenty remote miles up in the hills.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted December 11, 2009 04:07 PM
Very cool , Nice cats! I'd also like to see the cages nested.with those darn cage traps you just about need a flat bed.
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted December 11, 2009 04:12 PM
Did you get somebody to feed Rocky while youre out having an adventure?
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 04:22 PM
I know what you're thinking? But, it was better than nothing!
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
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Briguy
Unofficial AGENT PROVOCATEUR
Member # 3471
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posted December 11, 2009 04:48 PM
Wellllllll, dammit, I'm on the edge of my seat here!!!
Posts: 94 | From: El Desierto | Registered: Aug 2009
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Paul Melching
Radical Operator Forum "You won't get past the front gate"
Member # 885
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posted December 11, 2009 04:50 PM
C 'mon Leonard give it!
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Those who value security over liberty soon will have neither !
Posts: 4188 | From: The forest ! north of the dez. | Registered: Jul 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 04:59 PM
Where was I? Oh yeah, Rocky.
He ate all the rest of the crackers, but didn't seem to notice the egg I dropped in one of his holes?
I would have left out some cat food, but who wants soggy cat food? Ya know?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 05:11 PM
To resume the narrative:
Mercer took a direct approach and I covered him with my Maglite. He saw the guy in the bush before I did and began talking to him.
I thought, okay, we have a person in distress but I waded in through the creasote, breaking off branches to get closer while Mercer edged along the front fender.
He was dressed in blue plaid, fully dressed and he looked (to me) for all the world, like a Muslim in a prayer position. His flashlight was right beside his elbow, which to me, meant that he had left the vehicle in the dark?
We couldn't see his face and didn't really want to disturb anything, but saw no blood, so foul play didn't seem apparent?
But the face, which was buried in the dirt at the base of the bush, seen from the side, was a vivid shade of blue, or was it purple? Hair was salt and pepper.
Good hunting. LB
edit: about that time I asked Mercer if he had cell phone reception in these hills. I didn't.
[ December 11, 2009, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 06:18 PM
Mercer got the 911 operator and I'm listening. Drives me nuts because it seemed like he was repeating everything three or four times, especially the part about our location.
The phrase, "middle of nowhere" seemed to sink in, eventually.
Then, the call was dropped.
So, what do you do; wait for them to call back or head down the hill?
So, we left the scene. Sounds morbid, but later I wished I had taken a couple pictures.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 06:43 PM
Now, we are driving toward city lights, all the bad roads have become graded and here comes a couple vehicles. It is the Sheriff. After a short powwow, we told them that the squad cars won't make it to where we need to go, but they can follow us to a spot where they can park and then all of them get in the Suburban. Which they did.
They parked and did a bunch of transfering of gear into the SUV and again we took off. Roads were getting rocky and bumpy, made for slow going and they were using their spotlights behind us, scanning the terrain. Isn't that illegal? No? Okay.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 07:35 PM
As we made the last turn, Mercer waved them to pull along side and said they could go ahead the vehicle was only a quarter mile distant.
So, they came over the last rise and stopped short. They all got out and approached like it was a barracaded suspect. When we got out and walked up the path, one of them came back and told us to stay in our vehicles; more command and control bs.
One of them came up and interviewed us one by one. When I said that I had walked completely around the vehicle, he asked me what kind of boots I was wearing and what was the size.
A little later, he took a photo of the bottom of my boot.
Then one of the Deputies got in the back seat and we drove him down to where he was parked so that he could go down to the highway and wait for the coroner to escort him up the hill. We went and pulled one last cage and as we crossed the bridge heading for the onramp, the Deputy saw us and waved.
That's about all we know, except one thing they said was that the victim, who apparently had been reported missing the day before, based on the license plate information we gave the 911 operator had been suspected to have early signs of Alzheimers....don't we all?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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csmithers
unknown comic
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posted December 11, 2009 07:54 PM
60 some years to find your first dead guy... Not too shabby.
I never want to find someone dead out in the woods. I'd never go out again. It'd scar me for life.
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted December 11, 2009 08:40 PM
That's a pretty good run of luck, Leonard. Just a couple weeks ago, about twenty miles from here, a guy was out with his bird dog hunting pheasants and quail and came upon what looked like an encampment complete with a well decomposed body. White male from, I believe, Ohio or Maryland or some such exotic place. Been missing for several months. No car anywhere around. He'd camped out several miles from the Interstate down along the river bottom for God only knows what reason. Strange.
A buddy of mine was deer hunting an area we all used to hunt quite regularly a bunch of years ago and found the skeletal remains of what used to be a black female. Nothing but bones and half-rotted denim jeans, leather shoes and a dark pink sweater. That was twenty-five years ago and they still don't have an ID on her.
As far as finding a body, hell, each of us will someday die, and each of us will have to be found by someone. I can recall the first, oh, twenty or so dead bodies I had to examine and run a strip on to confirm death. Each and every one was uniqeuly posed by fate to be memorable. And each one made you wonder to yourself just what happened that someone else would find them here like this. Perfect case in point, something my first EMS instructor told us about and by gawd, I even saw one or two myself... dead body in the bathroom wedged between the commode and the wall or vanity cabinet directly in front of the "sitter" as he "rested". Usually an elderly male, widowed or living alone. Went to take his constitution and, for lack of good fiber and roughage, pushed too hard and caused himself a heart attack. In their last moments of life, they often fall forward and do a header into the wall in front of them and more times that you'd think, end up wedged there, parttially seated, with their speedos around their ankles. neighbors or family only check him once a day at most, and often as not, even less frequently, so many were found to have been there for "some time". Live 90 years doing your best to be remembered honorably and that's how they find you last.
Yep, strange.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5440 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 11, 2009 09:13 PM
Yeah, thanks for that vivid description, Lance. My fate awaits me. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
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Briguy
Unofficial AGENT PROVOCATEUR
Member # 3471
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posted December 11, 2009 10:05 PM
Dang Cdog, I know that isn't supposed to be funny, but...
I apologize Lord, please be with the starving pygmies in New Guinea...
Posts: 94 | From: El Desierto | Registered: Aug 2009
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Briguy
Unofficial AGENT PROVOCATEUR
Member # 3471
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posted December 11, 2009 10:51 PM
Oh, and LB, you weren't hunting out my way today by chance, were you?
http://www.kpho.com/video/21938386/index.html
Posts: 94 | From: El Desierto | Registered: Aug 2009
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 12, 2009 06:58 AM
Bri, no. CA desert, and apparently there were two, that night, the other in Pioneer Town?
Lance, if I have to go like Elvis, with my undies around my ankles, let me leave you with this little tear jerker: When I was a boy and old Shep was a pup....buba buboom.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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csmithers
unknown comic
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posted December 12, 2009 07:34 AM
The dead guy seems to be a sidebar to an otherwise productive night. Stumbling over that guy ruined the continuity of the night. It's an inconvenience to find a stiff.
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 12, 2009 07:58 AM
Yeah, he almost owes us an apology, don't ya think?
It's what I have always said: You never remember the hunts where everything went perfect. Okay, you can recall that you were successful; but no details, and not much stands out.
It's those "other" hunts that you really log the details on your hard drive. I'm talking five years ago, maybe longer, like ancient history?
When shit happens, you remember it and those are the stories that you talk about. The "great" hunts are usually routine and bore the hell out of everybody. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted December 12, 2009 09:13 AM
How bout the 2 dozen stranded elk hunters in Arizona? They find them yet?
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 12, 2009 10:27 AM
Almost seems like an oxymoron, donut? How can you get trapped in a snowstorm in Arizona? Well, aside from the reputation, nothing but desert, you can easily run into snotty weather, in that area, and don't worry, I know from firsthand experience.
And, it's just pouring here right now! If they don't find those guys, there is more headed their way!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32705 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted December 12, 2009 01:13 PM
I've been seeing news reports on that, but nothing recent. From what I saw, they all got out, but their vechicles will be there for a while. The sheriff's spokesman for up Coconino way is some handsom rascal that's using Gerry Blair's name. Even kind of talks like the beloved BeastMaster. Anybody know if he's any kin-folk to the real Gerry Blair?????
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 12, 2009 01:23 PM
Don't know about that, but Gerry has a place north of Flag and he used to be in law enforcement, I think it was AZ highway Patrol? Could be a son?
Good hunting. LB
edit: now that I think of it, we have the new twins, Gerry Blair and Richard Roop and Santa
[ December 12, 2009, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
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