As I sit here on this last Friday of 2016 my mind is going many places this morning. I have been thinking about the past year and what the new year might hold.


A lot of water has gone under the bridge in the last 12 months for all of us. I am sure we all had good days and bad days, I am thankful to say the good days out weigh the bad days. I think back on all the blessings both naturally and spiritually that I have experienced over the last 12 months.

I will start with the hunting side since this is a hunting website, The Lord blessed us with so many good hunts and hunting experiences this past year I know I couldn't list them all but I will just mention a few things that stand out to me. We were blessed to hunt in 3 different states this year, (yes I know that is not as many as a lot of you but for a working man with a family I'm thankful for it). We were blessed to hunt in 6 different locations in the state of Alabama, 3 different places in Ga, and two in TN.

I had been hearing my brother and old buddy Johnnie P Gray talk about hunting in West Point, TN for several months and back in February brother took me up to West Point, TN to the old place Joel Todd built years ago, and it was as good as they had claimed it to be. The running was extra good that night! We were blessed to go down and hunt at the Ed Bacon pen several times, and the Lumpkin pen several times and had good running in both places, I must say that probably one of the best races I heard in 2016 was in the Lumpkin Pen (aka Pig Jig) in April with Big Kyle, the weather was perfect and the hounds really did an outstanding job it made the ride back home shorter after a good race. Thanks to our ole buddy Drayton Stillwell for having us a place to hunt.

I guess the biggest thing this year that I got to witness was the reopening of the ole Sweetwater pen in Sweetwater, TN (now called the Tennessee Valley Fox Preserve)a big thanks goes out to The Summey family, Short Brothers, Jim Cox and many others for making this happen. The ole Sweetwater pen had been down for over 10 years, (and to be honest I didn't think we would ever get to hunt there again) but thanks to the above mentioned folks for getting the Preserve back up and running. I'm telling you from personal experience there was a lot of work done in this place where hunters would have a place to hunt and a place to go to field trials in TN. Brother and I was first able to go back there on Memorial day Monday and run with some of those boys and had a big time. Those guys put in enough hours and time to be able to host the TLL field trial in June of 2016, I think there was like 180 or so hounds at the TLL hunt and it was good hunt in the middle of June, for which I was thankful to be able to attend.

Then several of us was able to get together and hunt there at the end of July and August, brother and I was blessed to carry uncle Earl Dunn back to Sweetwater during the hunt in July, I know he was glad to get to go back there one more time. He always enjoyed going to Sweetwater to the hunts held there year ago, I know he attended the TN State, TN Open, The Green County, and Smokey Mt hunt there many times. And I must say he did his share of winning. Uncle Earl always kept hounds that run up at the front of a race and could compete with the best of them no matter where he went, but Sweetwater, Ozark, AL and Huntsville, KY was some of his favorite places to go to 3 day hunts. My little boy (JT) really likes going to Sweetwater with uncle Kyle and be around the Summey Boys and the other guys up there, for which I am thankful. His mother even let him lay out of school for a day to go to the TN State Derby held middle of November up in Sweetwater. He had a big time, and to top the whole thing off he placed his little dog Hondo 7th and was tickled to death. So I'll close this subject with if you have not been to the Tennessee Valley Fox Preserve I recommend you pick a hunt and plan on going, I know they are looking to have the TN State there end part of March/first part of April; I know they are looking for the TLL hunt middle of June, and possibly the Smokey Mt. hunt and maybe another one. I can promise you this you will enjoy it, now you better get your hounds in shape if you want in the winners circle but the facilities are first class and the running is second to none.


Last weekend brother and I, along with AL Hannsell, and Wallace Shipley was able to get together one more time this year in The ole Pegion Mt pen, that's in Lafayette, GA and we had a good time. Those guys have got the ole Mountain rocking and rolling.



The Lord blessed me to be able to travel among my spiritual brethren in several states again, for which I am thankful. I was blessed to be in several good meetings where The King was glorified and the people was edified for which I am especially thankful, all glory be to His High and Holy name.


Naturally speaking he blessed my little family in so many ways that I could not list them all, for which I am thankful. I will rely one quick blessing, on Oct. 14, 2016 I was driving home on a road I drive on about every day, and I made a huge mistake I looked off to the left for a moment and when I looked back up I was already on a car in front of me and rear end the guy. Yes it was bad, I bumped my head the air bag got my left shoulder, and the stirring wheel caught my inner thigh. I was hurt somewhat but not nearly as bad as it could have been for which I am thankful. Yes it totaled out my little Toyota Camry, so then I had to car shop, which I hate. I was blessed that my dad let me borrow his little Rav4 for 2 months while I searched for my new ride. The wife, kids and I all got so tired of car shopping that it wasn't even funny. Then on Dec 17, 2016 we found the ride we were looking for, PTL, in Gadsden, AL. And so far I am liking the new ride, I will like it better when it is paid for, but that's the way we roll. I am thankful that The Lord spared my life on Oct. 14 and hath preserved my life up until this present moment of time. He has so richly blessed me with so many things and I want to praise Him every day for His goodness and mercy shown to this poor sinner.


Well, what will 2017 hold? I don't know any more than you do but I suspect it hold hills and valleys, highs and low, happy and sorrow, good and bad, but through it all I want to praise The Lord of Lords and King of Kings. What am I looking forward to in 2017???? What are you looking forward to???

A couple things I will mention here, I am looking forward to seeing my friends both natural and spiritual. I am looking forward to traveling to Vansant, VA in the spring of the year to Little Freedom Church. I am looking forward to going several places and meeting with the saints of God and worship HIM in spirit and in TRUTH! I am looking forward to JT and Audrey playing ball again this spring and pray they don't get hurt. I am looking forward to going back to the hill of TN and running hounds with my buddies, I am looking forward to maybe getting to go back to SC and see The Caskey family and the hunters on the east coast (need a good hound to take). Looking forward to going to a hunt or two at Sweetwater. I already know I can't make them all, I already know True Grit Kennels wont be in contention for kennel of the year, we won't have a hound in contention for HOY but that's okay, all that really doesn't matter to me in the grand scheme of life. See brother and I will not settle for sorry hounds but a hound has to prove to us it is good not the world, I haven't seen a check from any of you for dog feed yet. (haha) I would like to say that I am looking to out running Big Kyle at some point this year, but he would say the same about me. I know we sure want to out run Wallace, one night and Big AL, but we do it all in good fun and fellowship. The problem with most hunters is when they get out run/out scored they get mad, why? Never understood it, dad always said loosing builds character and I promise you we have got plenty of character. However, it is a sweet day when the poor boys can compete with the big money boys. Oh I am looking forward to several things, but let me be clear, there is ONE EVENT I am really looking forward to and no man knows the hour of this EVENT. I am looking for THE GREAT I AM, THE LORD to return and get all that HE paid for, I am looking for the MORNING OF THE RESSERCUTION, the Last Day. Will that be in 2017? I don't know, but if not and I am here for 2018 I will be looking for it then to.


SO HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY HUNTING TO ALL OF YOU.

May The Lord of Glory bless you all is my prayer.

True Grit,
Jonathan Blakeley

Jonathan blakeley
What I have just read that you just wrote is from the heart and as good as it gets,thank you.
Happy new too you and yours.

Hope to see you when you get over here. It does take a special type of hound to run up at the Big Rock. I know you're sand bagging with that statement. God Bless You and happy new year.

Hey man, would like some info on the pen at west point. Thanks

btt