Got Gustav? Got Gators?
Thank all of you have emailed or called knowing that I don’t watch the news every day. In years past, we didn’t even have TV so others had to call us and warn us. I remember being out near the Gulf fishing when a friend of mine called and told me I better get home and pack because a hurricane named Katrina was headed toward Southeast Louisiana. Man, I hated having to stop fishing to come do that.
We had a quiet hurricane season in 2006, holding our breath, and barely whispering the word “hurricane” ever.
But it looks like I can’t keep the TV off , I can’t ignore the Hurricane Alerts in my email box, and I have to answer both my phones when they ring. Gustav is real. It’s coming into the Gulf. Round and round and round he goes; where he stops, nobody knows.
I want you all to know something. The information I have in my head right now is that this storm will enter the Gulf by the weekend. It is neither my desire nor my plan to go into a panic mode this early. Evacuation is not a new thing to me or my family. When the time comes, I will pick up my hard drives–both of them, tie up my boats—both of them, get my boys–both of them and head to higher ground. So please don’t try to whip me up into a frenzy, or I won’t be able to draw on the reserve calm I will need to do what I have to do if and when the time comes.
And this news comes on the heels of one of THE most beautiful days in the marsh ever with Producer Kovac and Cameraman Hernandez as they continue gathering footage for the documentary about our way of life and culture. Not only is it hurricane season, but it’s also alligator season.
I don’t have time to edit and post photos tonight, but the alligator poles were set and baited this morning. Tomorrow morning, we will hop in the boats at 6a.m. to see how many of the lines are down and what size gators took the bait. I will take photos for you, of course.
Remember, trapping gators is part of the way of life here. These trappers have licenses and tags to take the gators and they count on this income for the fall until winter trapping season comes around again.
So, until tomorrow night’s post,
I am still your
Bayou Woman.
RenRed told me about Gustav last night. I know you will call upon your inner strength if and when needed.
You know you’re welcome up here if you need to come this far north.
Luv ya!
Will be watching the news of Gustav, and know we are praying! But! We also know you are an old hand at handling all the storms! 🙂 Love you!
About 3 or 4 tanks of gas up here to smallmouth country. Got Merlot?
Gators? that’s real kewl. Keep safe.
Gustav seems like a better name for a gator.
Thanks for the invite, Blu. Don’t think I’ll go quite that far, though! Gustav the Gator! I think I feel a story coming on!
Friends, I am still at my sister’s and getting closer to posting about the pre-Gustav gator hunt we made. I promise, it will be soon! And I have some great photos to share with you all.
BW
How could sumone start doin that kind of hunting and make a living off it? I would like to do that
Nick, considering you are asking a serious question (you’re new here!) I will give you a serious answer. It’s not something you can “get it on”. It’s something your family would have done for generations. You either have to own enough marshes OR hold the lease to enough marshland in order to be issued tags from the landowner in conjunction with the dept. of wildlife and fisheries. Sad to say, but you can not make a living off this type of hunting. It is only for one month out of the year, and the price per alligator has dropped down to between $6 and $18 a foot. But it would be challenging, right?