The Hunter

Yesterday, as I was cleaning any residual blood and hair off of the venison that was to be taken in for processing, I was thinking I should grab the "junk trumpet" and sound it as David returned home from school, and then further embarrass him by proudly proclaiming that "The victorious hunter has returned home!" (or something like that) for anyone within hearing distance to hear.


Thankfully, I didn't go out of my way to make these preparations as the brat cut across the neighbors lawn again so I didn't see him coming. I've told him about 43 times now to stop doing that. How can I kick the neighbors' dog for being on my lawn when my kids are on theirs? :)


So anyway, Todd was highly impressed with David's mad hunting skills - and David took the camera to school to show his friends the pictures that had been taken. But there's more to this hunting story that I wanted to share...

On Sunday, David shot the deer at about 9:15am. I was not called until shortly after noon. I found out the reason for this was because the deer was on the opposite side of a river, and Steve had to take the 4wheeler home (MN has restrictions on what hours a 4 wheeler can be used for hunting purposes) to get the duck boat so as to cross the river and retrieve the deer. So for 3 hours the kid didn't get to see his "kill".


Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!


I can't begin to express my appreciation for how much Art and Steve did to make this a memorable experience for David. When Steve brought the deer in for registration, he drove his truck to several of David's friends' places so they could "ooooohhhhh" and "aahhhhhh" over said dead thing. (I didn't know they'd be doing this, so I went out to Steve's a little earlier than necessary.)

So, as I'm sitting in Steve's parent's yard (deer was skinned there) just outside the small town of Hanley Falls, I was able to enjoy being stared at by the occupants of nearly every vehicle that passed as I was in a car they didn't recognize.

I just love that.

After a bit of waiting, Steve drives in with his truck.
David gets out of the passenger seat.
David is wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of sandals. It's the middle of November in MN. The only state further North is Alaska, and I was cold with my work boots, jeans, t-shirt, flannel, hoodie, and hat on. And he didn't even bring anything warmer with him! (Of course, being as he at the All-Knowing-Teenager age, he argued with me about the temperature... so I waited until he was visibly shivering before I gave him the winter coat I had in the car.)

I found out that Steve had David take care of at least half of the gutting process (Steve tells me there was some "eeeewwwww"ing), and David was there during the entire skinning and deboning process. And while they were deboning it, Art told David the story about how Native Americans used to eat the heart out of their kills. Raw. But, as the heart was left out in the woods with the rest of the innards, Art sliced off some raw steak and both he and David had a chunk. (David said that Art had cut off 4 slices and that all 4 of them had a piece as it was tradition for them to do so when a new hunter made his first kill. Steve told me that neither he or his dad did so, and both thought it was "just disgusting" but were able to hide it from David!)

They made it a full "hunting camp" experience!


And when I arrived to work yesterday, Steve had pictures here and had already shown several people the pictures of David with his deer. (He gave them to me. I gave them to David.)
Plus, David had the camera with him - so maybe sometime I'll get some pictures on here to go along with the story. (Sheila would love to show me how to do so. Right, sis?)


I wish I could have Steve tell the story. He's a natural jokester. Among a list of other things, he told David that the deer David shot was the huge one he'd been trying to get ever since the bowhunting season had started. David, of course, believed him - as I'd told him all about this (actual) monster deer that Steve has caught on his camera, and that if it should happen to come along to let Steve take it!


Of course, Steve told him he was just kidding about that. But he never told him that he was joking when he said that MN now requires kids to take their driving tests with a manual transmission car. :)

Happy 15th Birthday, David! The "driving age" milestone is coming up soon!