“Since most early families had hogs, it was not really essential for them to hunt wild game. Many did, however—to supplement their diets with fresh meat, to supplement their incomes with the money they could get from selling the hides, and for the fun and sport of hunting itself. As Mann Norton said, “They really didn’t have to hunt, but they liked the taste of wild meat.” Lon Reid agreed, “They didn’t have to hunt. They had hogs and a garden. But they enjoyed it. They liked the chase, and they liked a change and fresh meat.”
They also hunted to protect both themselves and their stock, from the early forests, with their unbroken miles of virgin chestnut trees and their paucity of settlements, were also filled with wildcats, bears, panthers (“painters”), and other predatory animals. It is easy, for example, to see how the early morning trip to the barn to find your cow slaughtered or all your chickens gone might be a disquieting experience—especially if your survival depended on your stock. It is also easy to understand the irritation caused by a polecat or fox who ate the eggs and young of prized fowl. And it is easy to see how the ringing squall of a panther on a lonely, starless night from the mountain just behind you might be a very real cause for alarm.
—The Foxfire Book
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a used copy of The Foxfire Book. To be entered in the giveaway leave a comment on this post. Giveaway ends November 12, 2024.
Last night’s video: Matt Cooks Supper: Deer Meat, Pickled Corn, White Sweet Potatoes & Cornbread.
Tipper
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I grew up watching my dad read the Foxfire books! Every year he would by the newest edition in the series, usually when we visited Mammoth Cave National Park at Easter time. He still talks about those books to this day.
I don’t know how, but I’m unfamiliar with the Firefox book. Looks like I need to do some research today. Have a blessed day.
I guess that what happened to the wolves that used to be in the forest over a hundred years back? I have read they were here
What started out as a writing project for students in Rabun Gap became a treasured keepsake of old timey ways archived in the Foxfire books. A visit to where it all started is worth the trip.
The woods and hills were full of critters back then!!! Both Mama and Daddy’s family depended on hunting squirrel and rabbit to supplement their food store. When the first Foxfire book came out in the early 70s, my uncle gave me a copy which I read cover-to-cover. Fascinating to me but my family knew and had experienced a lot of what Foxfire is all about.
I really appreciate the knowledge captured in the Foxfire books. So thankful that someone thought to do this before skills and knowledge were lost to the modern day.
My great grandma was born in 1900 and growing up with her influence has been invaluable on who I am today. Her wisdom was beyond what could be found in most folks. She often spoke of a “favorite” hog they used to have and how she would make sure “he got a biscuit on days we extree.” Thank you Tipper for reminding me of memories of those days gone by.
I know deer meat is your family’s favorite meat,but it is something we do not eat. My husband enjoys hunting, but we cannot get the wild taste out of the meat. So, if he does kill a deer we give the meat to families that will eat it, and are very happy to fill their freezer and feed their families….I guess it all works out for the good.
Enjoyed this post! it reall.y took me back to my childhood of hog killing time and deer season
I’m thankful for the few chickens I have that dutifully provide eggs every day.
My granddaddy was a dead eye dick as they called him. He would bring those squirrels up close with his little call that looked like a balloon. we couldn’t go with him because we were young and couldn’t sit still or be quiet. But we sure enjoyed eating them fried squirrels. Thanks for the story.
We had a hog that we killed each year, chickens and plenty of food from our garden that had been put up /preserved in some type of way to eat through the winter. Daddy did like to squirrel hunt, Mother would make squirrel dumplings but would not eat the meat. We did eat a lot of wild rabbits that had been caught in rabbit gums. Our chickens often ran loose (free range) as it is called today, but the chickens we were going to eat were kept in an off the ground wire bottom coop and fed dried corn and water. I now look think back to this coop and call it death row. You have never ate GOOD fried chicken until you eat a fat corn fed chicken fried in hog lard and a black cast iron skillet. Colonel Sanders would have been a General if he would have cooked chicken like this!
The only gun my Daddy ever owned was 22 cal. single shot bolt action Winchester rifle bought at the end of Word War II. He bought this rifle new for $6.50. I now have it. He was deadly with this rifle, he didn’t miss very often. In my life I liked to rabbit hunt with beagles but loved bird (quail) hunting with my bird dogs the best of all. For the first 25-30 years of my life there was no deer in my area, now there is nothing but deer and very few rabbits and no quail at all. Deer hunting does not appeal to me. The closest we have to a panther are a few bobcats. Many people think their scream sounds like a woman screaming.
Would love to win the book you are giving away! Love your posts!
Another interesting book!
Would enjoy reading the Foxfire book
I enjoy reading the excerpts from the books you have been posting on here and though I would enjoy receiving and reading each of the books I can not help but wonder are the give aways your own personal copy of the books and if so how can you part with them–I am of the generation who still considered a book a treasured possesion and you kept them so you could from time to time reread something from your collection (unlike the Louis Lamore books people buy read and exchange with other Louis Lamore readers-most other books were ‘keepers’). Your sweet kindness of giving away books is a special act of love in my eyes because of my belief that a book is a treasure and you are unselfishly and gladly giving away treasures…you are an exceptionally kind, thankful, and giving person. God bless, protect, and comfort you and your family.
Polecats and foxes are still a problem here. Thankfully our coop is quite secure, but one never knows. We find paw prints, but haven’t had them get in.
Coyotes are a big threat to livestock here as there are many and they are unafraid when hungry and litters are being born. We do not let our grandchildren go out near dark alone.