I've been going through old pictures to find the one where my husband had gone hunting years ago. He went hunting for about 5 years, doing the whole thing of "male bonding" at the hunting shack (one big party if you ask me!) and each year he was un-successful at shooting a buck or doe. Well, I found the picture and had it on the end table in the living room with a few others, waiting to write about hunting, etc. etc.
Today I let Odda (our 7 month old Bernese Mountain pup) in the house for awhile. She and Hooch played awhile and I went about my business, not paying much attention to them, until I walked out into the living room and noticed Odda had chewed up a couple of pictures! Darn! Oh well, will scan it any way. Hubby Steve is the one partly chewed up! Brother in law Willie and Steve both got does that year. This was sometime in the early 70's. Also, this was the last time Steve went hunting! He didn't like killing this deer. Besides that, we're not particularly excited about eating venison. I don't like it at all since that was mostly the meat we grew up eating; and I was just sick and tired of it! So it didn't bother me at all that he hasn't gone hunting since then.
Except - we live on a farm. We plant corn. So therefore we feed deer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One morning from our kitchen window we watched 42 deer leave the South end of our corn field (which is only 18 acres). We can't see the North end of the field from our kitchen window, so don't know how many left the field from that end. Now I wouldn't say there is a shortage of deer in our area. We have neighbors that hunt in the area, and our grandson and son-in-law hunt our property part of the season. But those darn deer are so smart, and don't show up during hunting season. They hunker down in the middle of the corn fields or in the woods until night time - knowing they are safe in the dark!
I like to watch the deer, but they can and do damage crops. They love the beans in our neighboring fields, our corn, and they munch on area grassy pasture land. We have them come into our yard and chew on the trees, crab apples and the trees. They get the dogs barking, so I know when they're here. We have tracks up by the steps even. They like the spilled corn where Steve grinds feed for the pigs.
Don't want to forget the hazzard of deer on the roads; being hit by cars in the early morning or dusk of evening. Since we've been married, I've hit a deer with every car we've had, except this one (so far!). I hope those that are hunting do fill their tags. I like to think that those hunters do like venison meat, and by hunting, it helps them fill their freezers for good meals this winter.
Even though they're pretty to watch, fun to take pictures of, I wish the hunters good luck. This picture is our nephew Max's son Morgan. Max got this deer during bow season, and his son Morgan had to have his picture taken with the deer! Cute - and I'm sure he'll be hunting as soon as he is old enough. He is just a first grader now.
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