Trophy Deer---but

I do very much like to hunt and I work at it. I am not a gunslinger that goes out and takes "sound" shots but a character that enjoys sitting in the woods watching the birds, talking to the skunks that get too close and marvelling a the fall landscape.

Venison in the freezer is a very comfortable thing as it is about the only red meat we eat. My general plan is to go bow hunting by sitting in some natural constructed blind over looking an area where there is a clear shot and then waiting for one of the less unsuspecting to walk by offering themselves up. Bow hunting is not always successful in my world due to inappropriate day dreaming, sometimes falling asleep (even in the snow) and generally not paying attention.

This year three does walked with in 25 feet of my blind before they were noticed due to day dreaming about getting a deer or was it my other dear. They stood there motionless, looking right in in the blind, unafraid but intent on knowing what was in the bushes. I remained motionless knowing any blink of the eye would spook them and the hunt would be done for another day. The cross bow could not be lifted and the only hope was that they would turn away and then I could re-position. No luck. They made a small jump that put a large oak between me and them. It was over.

Well, this meant that I would have to take up heavier armament in the form of a shotgun with slugs and a dandy scope. We headed off to southern Wisconsin for a Thanksgiving dinner and a one day hunt. Filled to the gizzard, we hunters headed out for a pass through a local forest. My position behind a massive Black Oak proved well selected and in ten minutes from the start I was in possession of a very large buck that made a very large mistake. He didn't see me.

While harvesting a magnificent deer is a thrill, it would have proved better if I were comfortable eating it. We were in the CWD area and all had to be tested. Some 15-20% of the older deer are thought to be infected with those nasty little prions that cause wasting disease. Uncomfortable with eating it at all, I gave it to another hunter who was not uncomfortable after it was tested.

I wish the entire act of hunting would have been complete.