Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2B
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008
Outdoors With Skipper
New barn resident means no more mice
I recall the jingle that went like
this “You’ll wonder where the yel
low went, when you brush your
teeth with Pepsodent.” Well, I
wondered “where the mice went,
when the mouse poison was still
not spent.” I had put some poison
for rats and mice out in the feed
room in the barn. Seems like there
was quite a bit of poison that just
stayed there and never was eaten.
However, I did not see any more
mice around the barn. They used
to hide in the corner of the horses
stalls, and then run out to get a bit
of dropped feed. My wife would
have no part in having a barn cat
to take care of the mice population,
though we had seen a stray black
cat around the farm, at times. Well,
I found the answer the other day
as I headed to the barn. Coming
around a corner of the barn was a
long black figure. It kept on coming
and coming. Longer and longer, till
I figured at least six feet.
It made its way up on a bush
adjoining the barn, I figured it was
hunting for supper. It then headed
up the side of the barn and into the
loft. I watched
as it stuck its
head here and
theresearching
for a mouse.
There was
some chicken
wire at one
point, and it
would go in
a bit through
the wire till its
body was too
big, and then
back out and try again. I wondered
what I would do if it got stuck in
the openings in the wire. I couldn’t
leave it there to die. Now, I know
some folks, like my wife, figure that
the only good snake is a dead one.
But I have learned the good ones
and the bad ones. In Florida where
I fished and hunted before, we had
to deal with the water moccasins
and the diamondbacks. The water
moccasins I couldn’t stand, but in
reality the diamondbacks were to
me, very pretty, though deadly. I
would kill them and usually sell the
snake to a fellow that made wallets,
etc. The non-venomous snakes in
nature do a lot to keep things bal
anced, so I leave them alone. It’s
nice to know that there is a snake
around so there are no surprises.
I recall an older lady in Florida,
who was going out her screen door.
Seems there was a big black snake
lying on top of the door, when she
opened it, it fell around her neck.
You can imagine what happened
next. Well, I thought I would call
the barn snake “Blackie” but my
grandson decided upon “Barney.”
Now I haven’t seen “Barney” for
the past few evenings, but I do keep
an eye out for him when I go to
feed. I don’t relish him dropping on
my neck, with my being unaware
of where he is. But, I do know what
happened to the declining mouse
population, and I am glad for that.
Let me know if you have an out
doors story.
Skipper Smith is an outdoors
columnist for The Banks County
News. His column appears
weekly. Let him know about your
hunting or fishing adventure at
706-677-1520.
skipper
smith
A BETTER MOUSE TRAP
This black snake, named "Barney” by Skipper Smith's grandson, has been helping to control the
mouse population in the Smith barn.
Service Loan & Tax
Here to meet all your loan and tax needs.
Most cases you can pick up your cash in one hour or less.
Call or come by today!
We also have phone services, no deposit required.
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6:00p.m.
rr
HI
A
D.
■f- 1
Eve Odom & Sandy Anderson
49 Washington St. • Jefferson, GA
706-367-9700
Jeff Suggs & Connie Wood
1730 N. Broad St. • Commerce, GA
706-423-9660
All applications subject to our liberal credit policies.
BIG FIREWORKS SHOW!
THURSDAY, JULY 3
TOYOTA TUNDRA presents INDEPENDENCE 125
125 Laps - Pro Late Models Plus Local Divisions
Pit Gates Open at 11:00 a.m. • Practice at 1:00 p.m.
Grandstands open at 5:00 p.m. • RACING at 7:30 p.m.
Children 12 & Under FREE
For more information visit www.georgiaasphaltseries.com or
call 706-387-7490.
Local Racing
Jefferson racer takes Atlanta Dragway win
FAMILYAFFAIR
Jefferson's Stacey Blanton enjoyed his victory Saturday with his
wife Debbie, son Ryan and daughter Shannon in attendance at
the Atlanta Dragway. Photo by Tim Glover
BY AMY GLOVER
Despite predictions of thunderstorm,
the first day of summer and the second
points race of the season met with
sunshine at the Atlanta Dragway. Each
class was full, and many final rounds
were decided by break outs and fouls
in the face of some great runs and
race vehicles that seemed to run better
broken down.
Super Pro Winner Stacey Blanton,
Jefferson, pulled a near perfect pack
age in his ’05 Undercover Dragster,
running dead on with a zero at 5.04.
Clay Fancher of Loganville would
have faced a tough run with or without
his breaking out (5.336 on a 5.34),
which gave Blanton the win light.
“I was very excited, I was shak
ing. “ Blanton exclaimed, reaching
enthusiastically for his winner sticker.
Blanton’s wife Debbie, five-year-old
son Ryan and his one-year-old daugh
ter Shannon were in attendance. It was
the children’s first time seeing their
father’s success in the fast lane.
Jim McKelvey of Snellville and
Robby Brown of Winder placed in the
semi-final rounds.
The Pro class winner was instant
ly determined when Canton’s Larry
Chance cut a red-light, handing the win
to Howard Warren of Douglasville.
“I just thought my car was broke the
last two runs,” he said. Warren dialed
his car up with an educated guess at
7.96, ultimately running a 7.90. His
Maverick normally runs around 7.15.
“This is my first win in five years,”
Howard said. “Hopefully this is the
start of getting back on track.”
Chad Brewer, from Canton, placed
third.
D.A. Streber, of Greenville, SC, took
top honors in the Sportsman class,
with a .0123 margin of victory against
the “Bounty Hunter” J.D. Burford,
also of Greenville, who defeated last
weekend’s champion Mel Abney ear
lier in the competition. Burford broke
out with a 12.97 run against his 13.00
dial-in. Streber ran dead on at 19.82
with a .006 light, securing his fifth
Atlanta Dragway win.
Terry Turpin of Maysville finished
in the semi-finals.
The Motorcycle class faced an inter
esting circumstance, when Jay “Bird”
Rhyne from Athens met with Tim
Sutton of Clermont in a repeat of the
last race’s final. Sutton running a 9.34
on a 9.27 dial, against Rhyne’s 12.55
on a 12.53 dial, giving Rhyne the win,
despite experiencing clutch trouble.
“My clutch was slipping like last
time,” he said “I put a whole new
clutch in it, and it was worse, it just
kept on revving’ up.
“Tim was gunning for me. He broke
his glasses during his bye-run into the
finals.”
The 13-17 Junior Dragster category
was dominated by 16-year old Chase
Mullinax of Buford, who defeated
14-year old Kelsey Lynn of Marietta
with the better light (.024 vs. .086)
and better ET (7.91 vs. .7.93), as both
raced on a 7.90 dial.
“I blew three motors before this,”
Chase said. “Tim Stevens helped put
the motor together, and Bill Gillen
loaned the clutch. That’s why I cut
good lights all day. I couldn’t have
done it without them.” Chase thanked
his mom and dad, also.
Thirteen-year old Dylan Hutchins,
from Monroe, placed in the semi
finals.
Eleven-year old Becky Granneman
of Kennesaw ran dead on at 9.92,
overcoming her late light (.141)
against 12-year old Chris Bowden
of Homer, who ran 9.35 on his 9.28
dial-in to take the 8-12 Junior Dragster
win. Granneman’s solid run at the top
end guaranteed her first-time victory.
She is the daughter of track veteran
Mark Granneman, multi-time cham
pion and race-winner. Nine-year-old
Charlie Smith of McDonough was the
semi-finalist.