Happy Hunting, BOCKERS
WELCOME TO THE 39TH ANNUAL GREAT BOCK HUNT!
First of all, I want to apologize for the wimpy. weather again this year. It seems to be a dangerous trend. This recurring weather is breeding feeble and frail hunters with unusually high expectations of actually finding a Bock. Heaven forbid that the dress of the day would be miniskirts, shorts and high heels! Where-oh-where has the -20 degrees weather got! Enough of the reminiscing about the good old days…
If you are a Rookie hunter, you might want to read this! You will be searching for Bocks. There are the liquid kind, which only get you internal satisfaction, and then there are the Bocks that look like the one that is hanging above the Bar across from the Bierhalle/Gift Shop?Museum. If you can’t find this, I recommend you stick with the liquid kind – for $5 you can find all the Bocks you want!
So now that we have that issue resolved, we have another problem! The Bocks you will be searching for come in different colors, some are bigger, some are smaller, and some are represented by an oval medallion that is the size of a canning jar cover. Finding something that small could be a deal breaker if it weren’t for the really nice clues you get.
The Hunt area begins down at the Jaeger’s Ruh. If you are facing the Bierhalle, go LEFT, my friend, then down the hill. The hunt area is down below. The trail begins to the right of the port-potties. It is loosely marked by yellow caution tape – and sometimes red caution tape. The Bocks aren’t buried, or up in a tree. They can be 50 plus feet on either side of the trail – give or take a yard or two.
At this point, you are probably wondering what this Hunt is all about. HEATHER!! and FOLKLORE! That’s it. And maybe fun. And two random guys carrying a keg of beer on their back, that are giving away 2-year-old Bock beer – just kidding! Will explain that later. I lost my train of thought (which isn’t hard to do when you are as old as me) … so, you are on the trail and trying to match a clue on your phone with a specific area in the woods and voila! You find one! IF you do, bring it back to the Bierhalle, ask for the Huntmaster, and collect your winnings: a special Bock Medallion and a cash prize!
Now, the Hunt Area (see map) goes from below the road you came in on and follows the river west to what we call the Old Dam Road. Dam, because there used to be a dam there. Road because there was a road that led to the dam and old because neither the dam nor the road still exists. Clever, huh!
The berm that the road was located on is the end of the Hunt Area. You can go further if you like. Good for your health – bad for the hunting. When you get to this western area, you might want to get off the beaten path to improve your chances. This goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway: DO NOT GO IN OR NEXT TO THE RIVER!!!!!! No Bocks are there. THE RIVER IS OPEN – NOT THAT DEEP, but it gets deeper as your alcohol level gets higher. Besides, the catfish are really hungry this time of year and can clean a leg calf off the bone in minutes.
Another TIP: the trails will be muddy and slippery!! Be careful and enjoy the experience.
Lastly, I mentioned some Random Guys giving away 2-year-old beer. Well, I was Trumping it up a bit. The beer is fresh and good, and they are not Random Guys! They are our St. BEERNARDS, bringing valuable, complimentary, nourishing liquids out to thirsty hunters.
Be respectful and PLEASE KEEP THE TRAILS CLEAN!!!
Because if you don’t yours truly has to clean them up on Sunday. Thank you.
“May the Excitement of the Hunt Color Your Nose and Cheeks to A Rosy Hue,
May Your Fellow Hunter Become Your Next Friend –
AND MAY THE BOCK BE WITH YOU!”
GOOD HUNTING
~ the HUNTMASTER ~
Addendum to the Folklore: I neglected to mention that we are searching for the 7 Bocks of Winter. 7 clues – 7 Bocks. Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. Plus the King and Queen. Folklore has it that if all 7 Bocks are found, Winter will come to a swift end.
Clues
1. ^ ROCKS AND STUMP
2. THE LION SLEEPS HERE
3. BARE NAKED 3
4. ROTTEN WITH HOLES
5. PERFECT POINT
6. OUT OF THE RAIN
SORT OF
LITTLE BIG FOOT
7. BOULDERING GOOD TIMES
LOOK BEYOND
UNUSUAL
