| Before there were grocery stores and fast food | | | | or migraine will keep them from hitting the woods at |
| restaurants, people hunted for food. Some still do. In | | | | daybreak and staying till near dark, or till they've |
| fact, according to the results of the 2001 U.S. Fish & | | | | gotten one - whichever comes first. If a deer is |
| Wildlife Service survey, there are estimated to be | | | | gotten the first day, the hunter can relax and live |
| 10.9 million people who hunt big game.Hunting seasons | | | | normally again. If not, there will be a few more |
| and limitations are occasionally regulated according to | | | | obsession-filled days to get through.The skill of |
| the current animal population number. This is, in part, | | | | hunting comes also with the privilege of talking about |
| to maintain a good balance between game, birds and | | | | it. My dad once went hunting with a guy and swore |
| smaller animals, and their available food.Hunters do | | | | he'd never step foot into the woods with him again. |
| more than kill animals. They help the environment | | | | "Shot three times at a branch falling from a tree. |
| maintain the balance mentioned above. They also help | | | | Now you know a deer doesn't climb a tree and |
| wildlife conservation efforts with the license fees and | | | | jump!"And they all have their stories. Like the guy |
| taxes they pay. And, they aid law enforcement | | | | who - during early Spring - chose a wooded area, |
| whenever possible by alerting them to suspicious | | | | built a primitive stand, and planned to return in the Fall |
| activity they might happen to discover. For the past | | | | to hunt. A couple of days before deer season was |
| several years, many deer hunters across the country | | | | to begin, he went back - gun and practice target in |
| have donated their game to food banks and other | | | | hand - only to find several condominiums where the |
| groups as well. I do not agree with taking an animal's | | | | woods had once stood. The tree with his stand |
| life simply for the 'sport of it'. But I do agree with | | | | remained however. It had become a treehouse in |
| hunting to provide food.DEER HUNTERS ARE A | | | | someone's back yard.It is inevitable that talk of the |
| STRANGE SPECIES INDEED!You never have to wake | | | | upcoming hunt will somehow find it's way into every |
| a guy up during deer season - they never sleep! Can't | | | | conversation the hunter utters for weeks. It has |
| blame them though, they've been planning since June | | | | to...it's the only thing being thought about. I recall a |
| about how they're going to get that sixty-four point | | | | few conversations with my hunter husband. Once I |
| buck this time out.You've seen the excitement build | | | | mentioned that I had gotten a lamp I'd been wanting |
| as the season came closer. He's misplaced his car | | | | for only twenty bucks. He began telling me about the |
| keys, forgotten to take out the trash, even | | | | two bucks that his friend, Hank, got two years in a |
| forgotten to eat. But he knows exactly where his | | | | row. "Close to 180 pounds...both of 'em," he informed |
| little orange cap is. He's thrown his everyday clothes | | | | me. Another time I wanted him to pick up some |
| all over the place. But his thermals and orange | | | | apples and oranges at the store. And he asked me if |
| camouglage jacket are neatly folded in a corner, | | | | I thought he'd be wearing enough orange that year, |
| ready to go. He's even checked them a couple of | | | | or should he go buy something more. Then there |
| times each day, and neatly refolded them to make | | | | was the time when I wanted a huge favor, but |
| sure they are ready.A week before the hunting | | | | dreaded to ask hubby, so I addressed him |
| season opens, the average hunter will develop a | | | | with:"Dear!" Of course, I should have known better, |
| continuously preoccupied twinkle in his eyes. Because | | | | because immediately the twinkle in his eyes sparkled |
| of this, you can spot a guy with 'buck fever' | | | | with even more shine and I knew it was no point in |
| anywhere. You can probably pick him out of a crowd | | | | continuing a discussion until the word and the shine |
| of fifty thousand. He'll be the one with the | | | | wore off.So, if you have a hunter in your house who |
| apprehensive, anticipating glow. I've been told that a | | | | comes home near dark, on the last day, having been |
| deer is color blind - obviously they're glow blind as | | | | unsuccessful...get out some smelling saltz and revive |
| well.It's not always just the thrill of the hunt that | | | | him. But, of course he's been used to a week of |
| gets the hunter out of bed and going over his | | | | sniffing deer urine on his lapel, so the saltz may not |
| supplies' checklist one more time before heading out | | | | affect him at all at first. However, do keep trying. |
| into the great unknown. It's also what they can put | | | | And remember to prepare him a hot bath and drip |
| on the supper table. Some of the hardiest appetites | | | | eye drops in each of his bloodshot eyes. Then, after |
| around belong to hunters. When I was growing up, | | | | he's 'out like a light' snoring, you may want to take a |
| our table was laid out with everything from squirrel | | | | couple of whiffs of that smelling saltz yourself - |
| pot-pie to breaded ground hog. Barbecued deer roast | | | | when you realize that this whole thing will probably be |
| is as good as any cattle being herded anywhere. And, | | | | repeating itself again in another twelve months or |
| I've heard that muskrat is a delicacy in some top | | | | so.Regenia G. Butcher is an author on a site for |
| rated city restaurants. Of course muskrats are | | | | Creative Writers ( She is also a crafter and is |
| trapped rather than hunted. But hunter | | | | currently working on a "quirky" word reference book. |
| trapper...they're basically the same breed.A true deer | | | | She usually not only sees the glass half full, but |
| hunter is more consistent and driven than the US | | | | rejoices that there IS a glass. |
| Post Office. Neither rain, snow, wind, slush, mud, flu, | | | | |