by Dewy Morris

Created on: September 22, 2008

"Don't worry dad I have some." Boy do those words bring back some of my most fun and fond memories of early childhood and teenage years. My dad and I were on a hunting trip together in the North GA Mountains. A place that we went to every deer hunting season, from opening day until closing of the season we were there every weekend. It was our father and son tradition our time together, no girls allowed. Heck who ever heard of either one of my sisters going deer hunting? That was just not possible, after all this was a guy's thing. I can't imagine a girl getting up at four o'clock in the morning just to stumble through the woods making their way to some deer stand to wait until daylight before a deer crosses their path. I cringe to even think of what might happen if a deer or any other animal as far as that goes comes into plain eyesightno I don't want to go there. Just put three ridges between me and them and make sure their guns are not loaded! Get on the other side of the mountain please!

At the time we both belonged to a hunting club that hunted the area every season. It was open to the public and not leased land. Most clubs today lease their land to hunt on. It was a game reserve and part of the national forest. The place where we would always camp was called Tallulah River. I loved that place this was where I grew up as a child. Even though we lived in the suburbs of Atlanta and not the mountains this was where I looked forward to the weekends. If it wasn't deer hunting then it became a family affair during summer vacation for me and my sisters. Noticed I said "sisters" I have two of them I'm the baby of the family. I guess girls have to have some outdoor activity! When it comes to fishing for them it's like hunting you can forget it!

We hunted this same area for years; we knew it like the back of our hands blindfolded. We knew every logging road, pig trail, creeks and rivers, every ridge and the valleys below. One Saturday morning we got up as usual got dressed and made our breakfast. After breakfast we loaded up all of the gear we had into our 1949 Willis jeep and set out to our favorite hunting spot. It was early morning and dark and I mean dark! In the mountains at night it is so dark you can't even see your hand in front of your face! There were always several groups of us that had jeeps and would go and park in the same area so we could meet back for lunch and at the end of the day. There was really nothing to worry about in case of an emergency that

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