Thursday, November 5, 2009

Want to see more pics of the 850 lb. alligator?




You've probably gotten the Texas email or the revised Ravenel email more than once with the big alligator from last season. I ran across a bunch of photos that we never published. Some of the aren't stellar photos, but the gator is pretty impressive! I'll post them here over the next few weeks. Feel free to pass them along, but be sure not to say they're from TEXAS!
In these photos are my sons, Kenneth and Tristan along with Charlie Sherouse who worked with us last year.

Jason Shamis got an 8 point weighing 108 lbs. this morning.

Venison Smoked Sausage comes in one pound ropes.


Get your deer or wild hog ham smoked this week to get it back in time for Thanksgiving!


Thanksgiving is November 26th. Smoking your venison hams take just a tad longer so the pick up date for them is November 21st right now. We'll keep that date through the weekend, so if you're gunning for wild hog or venison on your Thanksgiving table, come see us soon!

3 Shot Rule

One of our readers passed along this story posted on CharlestonFishing.com in an effort to remind folks to be alert for 3 shots signaling a hunter in trouble. As these cooler temperatures bring even more hunters into the woods, be careful out there! And listen for 3 shots!

Well, got up at the crack of "what am I doing up this early" and headed up to the forest to try and kill some meat for the freezer. Started my way out along a field with barely enough light to see, get about 500 yds. and hear 3 shots in a row, hmmmm, first thought is, how on earth can someone even see to shoot? Stand there a few minutes thinkin bout it and again 3 shots ring out in a row. Bingo, someones in trouble I think to myself, I start to head to where the shots came from go another 500 yds or so and I fire a shot off then listen, 3 more shots in a row ring out and I take off at a run in that direction(with empty chamber) and come up on a gentleman looking to be about 70 yo laying on the ground with one hand on his rifle and another hand clutching his chest. I come up on him and he is soaking wet from sweat and shivering and can barely speak he is gasping for air so bad. Checked his ABC airway, breathing, circulation and he was gasping for air but breathing, heartbeat felt like it was going fast one min then slow the next and he could hardly speak he was gasping so bad. I pull out cell phone, no service. I'm now about 3/4+ of a mile from truck. Gave him some water from my bottle and stuck a aspirin from my first aid kit on my hip and tried to get him to chew it figuring he had just had a heart attack. I debated for a second or two on leaving him and going for help but decided against it so up over my shoulders in a firemans carry he goes and then he won't let go of his friggin rifle. I keep tellin' him to drop it and finally I have to tug it free from him and leave it there telling him I will come back for it. I get about 100 yds and now I am soaked in sweat and it's about 62 degrees out. I debated leaving my rifle at this point then figured if I had to signal someone else that it would be best off to have it. This guy was pushing 200 lbs if he was an ounce, how I ever carried him that far I have no idea or clue, I guess adrenaline just took over, at one point I stumbled and ended up face down with him on top of me (that's gonna leave a mark). Get him to my truck, in the back seat laying down, still no cell service and proceed to haul butt towards hwy 41, finally got cell service and called 911 and was met by ambulance where they took him, threw him on gurney and took off with him. So here I am standing there soaked in sweat, shaking and I think I finally ran out of adrenaline as my old battered knees finally said enough and dang near had to crawl back into my truck and had to sit there for about 20 mins before I could even drive home. I don't know if he was out there by himself or what, all I could get out of him was that his name is Jerry? maybe Gerald? I threw my card into the ambulance as they were closing the doors in hope that they will call me about his condition. I'm still kind of shaking and scatter brained from it all, it scared the heck out of me thinking bout in on way home. am going back to bed now.

Update: Spoke with his son again this eve. and he has been transferred to hospital in Columbia where they live after being stabilized more where it sounds like they are going to put a stint in. Apparently he has a lot of scar tissue buildup in his heart from a previous heart attack a few years back that is a big concern for them as well as any new scarring from this event. His son was able to go out with some of his Dads friends and find his rifle yesterday.
Thinking more about this I realized I did two things wrong, I should have checked for a medical alert tag on his wrist or around his neck and I did not check to ensure that his rifle was unloaded before leaving it out there. I know sometimes people who carry nitro for a heart condition wear a medical alert bracelet. His son told me he used to carry nitro and have a bracelet but stopped carrying it about a year ago. I'm probably going to go up to cola Saturday to see them, will keep ya'll updated.

And again, thanks for all the kind words everyone, I think I did what most people would have done for their fellow man in the same situation.




Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Brad Frazier's getting his first boar killed with a bow mounted at Cordray's Taxidermy. The big fellow weighed 173 lbs.

Alfred Jones brought in a buck to Cordray's.

Craig Whitfield and Greg Brown got some BIG PIGS!


These big ol' girls will make a BUNCH of sausage! You can process the meat of any size female wild hog.

Cordray's in Charleston Magazine!

Take a look at the kind words printed in this month's Charleston Magazine. Thanks, Edward!

Did you miss us?

This past weekend Michael and I got an unusual treat! We spent the weekend with the grandkids at Clemson Homecoming. Thanks to tickets from friends, an awesome tailgating spot, and hard work from Kenneth and Kristin and all the folks here at Cordray's, we were able to get away in the middle of deer season! Thanks, Everyone!
To see photos of the festivities taken for Clemson Girl blog, check out this post about my daughter's business, Michelle Dimaio Photography.

Monday, November 2, 2009

David Harrison won the FREE Deer Stand for his big buck with a dressed weight of 114 lbs.

Bill Bennett got a 6 point.

Hide Sale! Cordray's Taxidermy has tanned deer hides for $75!


While Quantities Last!

Have the hide from your deer tanned for $100.

Cordray's Venison Pastrami


We're taking orders for smoked hams for the holidays now!


This year we're going to continue with our fully cooked, hickory smoked, sugar cured hams for the holidays that were such a hit last year. I don't think we'll have enough Grooms Farm hams for them all to be local, but we buy fresh pork hams and slow smoke them with our own special recipe right here on our farm. Hams will be about 16 to 18 lbs. each. They make great gifts for your family or for your clients!
Last year we ran out right before the holidays, so be sure reserve yours now by sending in $20 per ham as a deposit.
To reserve for Thanksgiving, please send in your deposit by November 12th and for Christmas, by December 11th.
Please include your name and phone number with your check so we can contact you for pickup.
If you'd like, you may call in a credit card order as well.
Thanks,
Claudia


--
www.cordrays.com
Cordray Farms
Cordray's Venison Processing
6708 County Line Rd.
Ravenel, SC 29470
843.766.7922

Take a look at this bizarre buck!

Charles Rooke got a 10 point buck!

Josh Evans got inducted into the Cordray's First Deer Hall of Fame with the help of David Morrow!


Larry and Crystal Ott show off Larry's 9 point buck that weighs 163 lbs.