Sports

The relationship between duck hunters and their dogs are as close as if they were blood kin, sometimes understandably closer once you meet certain family members. A fine retriever can get you out of bed on mornings when you’d rather sleep late.

We have finally made it to the end of one of the craziest years I have ever experienced. As I look back over the year, facing all the challenges 2020 has thrown at me, the H3 fishing family has overcome and came out ahead.

These weeks we’re living in right now are some of my favorite times of the year. Several years ago I was asked to write stories for LA Sportsman magazine about big bucks taken around the state. I have written stories on well over 100 such events over the years, highlighting successful hunts from one end of the state to the other.

The 2020-2021 basketball season at D’Arbonne Woods Charter is about playing hard as a unit and moving forward. The boys have gotten off to a 1-5 start but coach Turner Madden feels like this team will be able to take a step in the right direction despite a youth movement.

A year or so ago, my good friend and avid, make that obsessed, turkey hunter, Jim Spencer decided to put a book together about his encounters with wild turkey gobblers, birds he described as “bad birds.” In fact, that was the name of his first book, “Bad Birds.”

The Downsville Charter basketball team has made great strides under first year head coach Alexander Howell. Coaching both the boys and girls hoops squads, Howell has seen each team improve since working in the summer to getting the season started this month.

Any way you look at it, the year 2020 has been one for the books, a book you’d like to toss into a big roaring fire. The first couple of months of 2020 were a mirror image of January and February 2019.

Savannah Green with a nice 9 point. Submitted photo Linda Kennedy with 9 point.

Hunting in the Ouachita River bottoms was a way of life for the McKinnies. From my earliest memories, the anticipation of tomorrow’s hunt led to little sleep. Dad’s favorite saying, “Boy, if you are not up when I’m ready to go, I’m leaving you behind” was enough for me to check the wind-up alarm clock every hour, all night long.

Last week the D’Arbonne Woods’ offense and defense came together and played a good football game other than giving up a couple big plays. On the first drive of the game Junior linebacker Devon Mayes came up with an interception that set the tone for the beginning of the game.