The Annual Deer Hunt

It all began last Friday (October 17th) -- the guns got taken out and test fired just to make sure they still worked and the sight was still okay; 2 boxes of bullets were bought just in case each person in the family needed to shoot their gun 15 times; the orange was taken out of the closet and doled out to every kid; and Jason went to bed that night especially excited for the hunt in the morning (next year he gets his own tag)!

I told Gary that if he got a younger buck that I would be glad to bottle deer meat for him -- I'm told it tastes better though I will probably NEVER try it!! However, Gary and Jason made the decision to not shoot a 2-point unless it was the last day of the deer hunt. So, every day they went out on the elusive trail of that "Big Buck". Opening morning if they would have turned left instead of going straight, they would have probably got one -- the people behind them got a 4-point. Gary and Jason (well, not really Jason) even let the girls and I go out with them Monday evening. We saw 42 does in Oak Basin. It was so pretty up there and the girls were on the lookout. But, there wasn't a buck to be seen!

So it's Tuesday afternoon/evening and I'm getting ready to go to Bunco. Gary decides to take the girls out hunting with him and Jason. About 30 minutes after they left, the back door opens and slams shut, little feet in work boots are heard running through the kitchen, and I hear little girl screams "WE GOT ONE -- DAD SHOT A BUCK!!" I come downstairs to all the little girls with grins on their faces. I go outside and in the back of Gary's vehicle is a buck -- was it the elusive "Big One"? No, but the kids were thrilled anyway! It looks like I have a little bottling to do!

Gary takes Jason and the girls with him to dress the deer. (I told him Emily could babysit Kate and Kari at the house, but he thinks it's important for them to see everything!) Jason, Emily and Kari were just fine with all the blood and guts - Kate, however, was a different story! After the first cut, Gary heard dry heaving and turned to find Kate trying not to throw up. She got herself under control, turned back around, saw everything again, and the dry heaving began again! Gary told her that she could go sit in the car and she quickly agreed. A few moments later, he heard the heaving again - she had decided to take another peek! After that she didn't look anymore! They then took the deer to hang in the shed. They found Afton there with his buck! Kate did okay with the skinning part (I don't know that I would have been!) and actually watched everything else. Gary told his Dad about Kate and the gutting of the deer and then the heaving began AGAIN! He said, "Kate, are you okay?" She replied, "Don't remind me of that, Daddy!" We have all had a good laugh about it!

So -until next year - goodbye to the elusive "Big Buck"!