Dean-Hey Heritage

Mom Shot 2 Ducks

Mom & Dad Hunting

Dad grew up hunting. When Dad was a teen, his father finally got a tractor. Dad fashioned a metal holder on the tractor to slide his "12 Gauge Long Tom" (single shot with extra long barrel) into. Dad prized his Long Tom (which outlasted him). When it finally smoked too much, Mom bought him another to match.

And hunting stories abound. He often told about going down as a little boy to the stock tank and finding unspent shotgun shells left by hunters. He'd shoot them with his BB gun or pellet rifle. Upon returning to the house, his mom would ask, "Son, you see any hunters down by the stock tank?" "No ma'm, I didn't see any hunters down there."

His many brothers-in-law liked to tease him about the time they told him he couldn't shoot a jack rabbit because it was too far away. Dad wounded it, and the rabbit ran directly for the guys. Dad finally stomped it to death. His brothers-in-law never let him forget that one.

Mom's Ducks, Dad's Tin Can

Dad's Long Toms
(Dad's original on top. Mom's gift underneath.)
As newlyweds, Mom and Dad often hunted in the evenings. Hunting from the jeep, they'd shoot jack rabbits which perennially overran the country. One rabbit was too far away for Mom's 4-10, so she shot Dad's Long Tom for the first time. She doesn't remember if she got the rabbit, but the recoil sent her back into Dad's lap.

I remember a similar incident. We often squirrel hunted when I was young. I must have been 6 or 7 years old and begged Dad to let me shoot his Long Tom. When hunting was over, Dad gave me the gun and I aimed almost straight up into a squirrel's nest and squeezed the trigger. The next thing I remember was picking myself up out of some bushes that had been behind me. Dad laughed and laughed.

Dad's Pheasant
(Taken from friend Wayne Karrow's field.)
Mom remembers as newlyweds wondering about supper. They went dove hunting and came back with 10 or 11. Dad dressed and fried them, and that was supper.

Another story Dad loved to tell. After Dad moved to Illinois, he hunted with Grandpa & Grandma Hey's friend, Al Reider. Al had live duck decoys that he warned Dad repeatedly not to shoot as the two hunted from Al's barn by the pond. Al threw a stick and the wild ducks flew. When the smoke cleared, Dad had shot 2 wild ducks with his Long Tom, and Al had shot 2 of his decoys.

And Dad was a good shot. And a Texan. A German Shepherd was tearing into our rabbit hutch. I saw Dad surprise the great dog which took off running at about a 135 degree angle to the right. At about 50 yards, Dad brought it down with a single shot slug. He later told that when the constable was in his shop, Dad remarked about problems with dogs and his rabbits. The constable said, "You can't shoot them." Dad said, "Too late. The dog's under my barn floor."

Things change. After we boys got older, Dad found less and less time to hunt. After we left the house, Dad twice accompanied his nephews to Montana to deer hunt. Dad never hunted, but cooked and kept camp. He loved to tell about asking his nephews if they'd eat a porcupine, if Dad shot and cooked it. They said yes, but reneged.

Hunting as Texas Newlyweds

Mom Shot 2 Ducks

Hunting as Texas Newlyweds