Lost my partner .

C

Clay Reid

Member
In 1996 I got back from a Cowboy tour in New Mexico and my old buddy Mitch Mclemore asked me if I wanted to get into a Coyote Contest . Of course I said Heck yeah . And for the next 30 years every weekend in January February and March we hunted hard to bring home the buckles .
We brought home quite a few over the years but my favorite and most grueling was a second place finish at the worlds in 2017 .
I had motive due to my old buddy Al Morris giving me a hard time after winning the Arizona state championship and New Mexico state championship. He said " why don't you quit hunting those junior high contests and come hunt against the 4 time world champion " . Too which i replied " well if I do you won't win your 5th ol son " . 🤣
It was all in good fun but I dang sure was locked and loaded . Poor ol Mitch was just guilty by association.
We flew to Utah and signed up . Flew back to dfw drove two hours home. Got two hours sleep and started hunting . After hunting all day we jumped in the truck and I drove 17 hours back to check in at Spanish Fork Utah.then drove 17 hours back .
We did beat Al but dang near died getting it done . Mitch allowed that was never happening again.
We fought like brothers and one of our regular arguments was over who was Maverick and who was Goose . But we also loved like brothers . I woke every morning and spoke with him about everything from hunting fishing football women and alot about God and how he rescued us from troubled times that most people never recover from .
50 I've known his ugly a$$ and im still trying to call him in the mornings but after 5 years of battling cancer he was ready to go with God.
The day before he died we had a good sit for 2 hours smoking cigarettes and laughing and we were gonna go hunt frogs the next day . Luckily his last words and mine as well was . I love you brother .
I miss you Maverick View attachment 32724View attachment 32724
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That damn cancer sucks; lost my lifelong hunting/fishing partner to it 3 years ago, so know what you're going through. I thank God for blessing me with such a friend for over 60 years. Sorry for your loss.
 
I know what you are feeling, one of my best partners past the 16th of August at just about the same minute I wrench my knee crossing a fence on a hunt. He got me one last time ;)
 
I heard about his passing on The Big Honker Podcast. I was sorry to hear it. It's a hard thing to go through for everybody. I've lost one friend, my two year old cousin and my Grandpa to cancer and currently two of my good friends are fighting it right now. One is doing real bad and one has gone through 90+ rounds of chemo.

I just can't be convinced there ain't a cure and it pisses me off to no end to think about it. We have cars that drive themselves and lights that turn on when you tell them to and people are still suffering from cancer, I just ain't buyin it. I know we're not supposed to question God's plan. But it's hard not to question a lot of things when you look in a casket small enough you could carry it by yourself.

That just ain't the way things are supposed to turn out. But it happens every day. All you can do is keep winnin those tournaments and doing Mitch proud. That's about all you can do I guess. That's about the only option we got until it's our turn.
 
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That brought tears to my eyes, sorry for your dear loss Clay.

My fishing buddy and gun club partner passed a few years ago to leukemia, think of him like the brother I never had.
Jerry was the better fisherman and long range shot than me - despite how hard I tried.
 
I don't have the words... but I will say you sound like one hell of a great friend and it appears your partner was one as well.

Very sorry to hear of your loss, great men/friends are RARE these days. I hope time eases your grief and you find nothing but fond memories of your friend going forward.

Until you both meet again...
 
Really sorry to hear that. I lost my best buddy a couple years back. I know the pain. I just gotta keep reminding myself that we had a lifetime of memories together. Sorry for your loss, Clay.
 
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