Hunting season

Deer hunting season started here yesterday.  This is with guns.  Bow season is a lot longer.  Lots of booms in the woods.  I stay close to the house, in the studio.  No biking for me for a few weeks.

When I lived in the city, I always felt sorry for poor Bambi being shot by the big mean hunters.  Since I’ve lived here in the country for over 25 years, I’ve had a total reversal of attitude.  The white tail deer was totally wiped out in this state and only reintroduced in the 1940s.  Without predators, the population has exploded.  No matter what your thoughts about hunting, something has to be done.  (NO, I do NOT want wolves to be reintroduced!)

Deer ravish the understory forest growth, decimating native plant populations.  They can jump any fence and are a huge concern for farmers’ crops.  Overpopulation make them susceptible to many diseases, some harmful to humans.  But worst of all are the significant road hazards they cause.  Rarely does our daily paper not report at least one deer vs auto accident.  Usually this time of year it’s two or three.  Between my husband and two sons, they have hit a total of six deer, once two at a one time.  Of course, that car was totaled but fortunately no one was hurt.

Venison is also a very lean meat.  All of the local hunters I know actually eat what they kill, or even take the meat to the local food bank.  I don’t know anyone around here who is a trophy hunter although there is plenty bragging when a big buck is bagged.

Our ninety acres is mostly a big park, not much of  a farm other than the garden and some fields we rent out.  However, we don’t like trespassers and only allowed limited hunting on the property.  Most city folks have no idea whose property they are on or whether or not there is a house behind that copse of trees.  We’d rather not take chances with armed (and often drunk) idiots.

Anyway, life in the country is not always bucolic or quiet.  It’s more often man against nature…and nature is winning.