The Unfortunate Turtle!
Mar 10, 2021 16:43:43 #
In other stories that I have posted I had talked about being chased by mountain boomers. My fears were mostly due to my older cousins telling me wild and false tales about their bite being poisonous and how fast they could run. Since I had been chased by them, for a long time, I believed they were more dangerous than rattle snakes, copperheads, and water moccasins. All of which was either untrue or exaggerated.
But it was more than enough for me to stay away from mountain boomers, which was more than satisfactory for both parties. However, when I reached my sixties and beyond, I began to have a heightened curiosity. I was living in Houston at the time, and this wasn’t any place to find any mountain boomers. They were much more likely to be found up where I was raised, among the canyons, and remote hilly and rugged terrain close to Red River.
So, on the 4th of July I had planned a trip up to Bulcher, and the area where I had grown up. I took along a camera with a telephoto lens, binoculars and with the intention of finding and photographing a mountain boomer. I intended to make my first stop the Dairy Queen in Saint Jo. That was the fount of all knowledge, both current and historical, way before Google or Bing, one just had to buy a cup of coffee and wait. Someone would arrive who knew the answer to any questions you might want to ask. This is true all over Texas. I cannot vouch for other states, but I believe such places exist if one knows where to look.
I was staying with my sister and brother-in-law whose home was in Bedford a bedroom city of Fort Worth, so it was a 60- or 70-mile drive to Saint Jo, but that cannot be helped. Ever where in Texas was a long distance. Nothing for which I wasn’t prepared.
I had not been at the Saint Jo Dairy Queen more than 10 minutes, until in walked Jack Schoppa. He had been a college classmate at UNT and had married another classmate and friend. His profession was that of a private surveyor and as soon as I could I asked if he had seen any boomers. Fortunately, he had been surveying the road right of way on the Red River bridge that had been recently constructed. He said that he had encountered one and even was able to grab it and pick it up.
That was all I needed to start. So, I head out to that location and begin to drive very slowly and glass the area as I drive slowly along. I didn’t see anything, both there are around Lake Nocona which was close by. However, since the 4th of July has just past and there is a lot of pieces of sky rockets and other fireworks scrap all around, I am sure any mountain boomer had left that part of the country and they would have detested any such loud noise and interference with their normal quiet and remote existence.
Since they are creatures that prefer remote and not to be bothered by human interference, I found a pipeline crossing and parked. I then took my camera and binoculars and began walking along this right of way. I took my time and walked very slowly, glassing all the area ahead of me to hopefully spot a boomer. I soon came a dry creek that crossed the right of way and while it looked promising, there were no boomers to be seen.
I walked down this creek for some distance and then seeing a good place to climb out and get back to my car, I was climbing up the embankment when I saw it.
There, up on the edge of this creek was a turtle, or terrapin’s shell trapped between two large boulders. As I got closer, it appeared this terrapin had been living or hiding in a shallow cave or crevices in those rocks. Somehow, due to its bad luck when it tried to leave these rocks either shifted or had shifted so that it was trapped and was wedged between them. It was trapped and died there wedged between them.
There was nothing I could do for the little fellow, it was too late to rescue him. So, I left him where he had lost his life trapped between those boulders. I suppose there are times when what looks like a safe place is not so safe after all. Just Sayin…RJS
But it was more than enough for me to stay away from mountain boomers, which was more than satisfactory for both parties. However, when I reached my sixties and beyond, I began to have a heightened curiosity. I was living in Houston at the time, and this wasn’t any place to find any mountain boomers. They were much more likely to be found up where I was raised, among the canyons, and remote hilly and rugged terrain close to Red River.
So, on the 4th of July I had planned a trip up to Bulcher, and the area where I had grown up. I took along a camera with a telephoto lens, binoculars and with the intention of finding and photographing a mountain boomer. I intended to make my first stop the Dairy Queen in Saint Jo. That was the fount of all knowledge, both current and historical, way before Google or Bing, one just had to buy a cup of coffee and wait. Someone would arrive who knew the answer to any questions you might want to ask. This is true all over Texas. I cannot vouch for other states, but I believe such places exist if one knows where to look.
I was staying with my sister and brother-in-law whose home was in Bedford a bedroom city of Fort Worth, so it was a 60- or 70-mile drive to Saint Jo, but that cannot be helped. Ever where in Texas was a long distance. Nothing for which I wasn’t prepared.
I had not been at the Saint Jo Dairy Queen more than 10 minutes, until in walked Jack Schoppa. He had been a college classmate at UNT and had married another classmate and friend. His profession was that of a private surveyor and as soon as I could I asked if he had seen any boomers. Fortunately, he had been surveying the road right of way on the Red River bridge that had been recently constructed. He said that he had encountered one and even was able to grab it and pick it up.
That was all I needed to start. So, I head out to that location and begin to drive very slowly and glass the area as I drive slowly along. I didn’t see anything, both there are around Lake Nocona which was close by. However, since the 4th of July has just past and there is a lot of pieces of sky rockets and other fireworks scrap all around, I am sure any mountain boomer had left that part of the country and they would have detested any such loud noise and interference with their normal quiet and remote existence.
Since they are creatures that prefer remote and not to be bothered by human interference, I found a pipeline crossing and parked. I then took my camera and binoculars and began walking along this right of way. I took my time and walked very slowly, glassing all the area ahead of me to hopefully spot a boomer. I soon came a dry creek that crossed the right of way and while it looked promising, there were no boomers to be seen.
I walked down this creek for some distance and then seeing a good place to climb out and get back to my car, I was climbing up the embankment when I saw it.
There, up on the edge of this creek was a turtle, or terrapin’s shell trapped between two large boulders. As I got closer, it appeared this terrapin had been living or hiding in a shallow cave or crevices in those rocks. Somehow, due to its bad luck when it tried to leave these rocks either shifted or had shifted so that it was trapped and was wedged between them. It was trapped and died there wedged between them.
There was nothing I could do for the little fellow, it was too late to rescue him. So, I left him where he had lost his life trapped between those boulders. I suppose there are times when what looks like a safe place is not so safe after all. Just Sayin…RJS
Mar 10, 2021 20:37:33 #
i know i'll be made fun of, but what the heck is a mountain boomer? Didnt i read something here?
Mar 10, 2021 21:27:18 #
Fishingphil: Glad you asked. (It is small size by dinasour standards) bipedal dinasour evolved from a thecelosourus-like ornithopod. Crotophytus Collaris, Not sure how it got the name Mountain boomer since the animal is usually silent. For more details, Google it. Just Sayin...RJS
Mar 11, 2021 14:09:34 #
Mar 11, 2021 20:16:56 #
Americanman28 wrote:
you guys need to remember that RJS is a master story teller.
That's true, however, Texas does have Mountain Boomers.
Mar 11, 2021 21:15:15 #
Mauwehu
Loc: Norwalk Ct
saw1 wrote:
That's true, however, Texas does have Mountain Boomers.
Baby boomers that moved to the mountains?
Mar 11, 2021 21:26:01 #
No, Google the word. These are minerature diansours and for a kid of 7, 8, 9, or even 10, being chased by one you have been told is poisonous is a thrill! And will Scare them witless. Just Sayin...RJS
Mar 11, 2021 21:55:02 #
Yup , we have them in Utah also. Must have come west with the wagon trains
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