Saturday, November 17, 2012

Boom

The forests of upstate New York are ringing with the sounds of death for deer.

How's that for a poetic opener?  The reality, of course, is much less poetic.  The reality is that today is the opening day of rifle season for deer, and there is a gutted deer hanging from a branch in a tree right in front of our house, where everyone who drives by can see that we will be eating venison this year.

Hi, people from New York City doing wine tours!  Welcome to the country!  Who wants to come for dinner?

The deer, of course, was shot by A.  Although Cubby was convinced he could have shot one too, were he only allowed to go hunting with Daddy.  Alas, Mommy is lame and wouldn't let him accompany Daddy to the woods this morning at 6 a.m. for the deer stake-out.

A. shot a nice fat doe a couple of hours after sunrise and then dragged it home, over the stream and through the woods, up the gully bank and down the pasture.  After recovering himself from this feat of strength, he finished cleaning it out and hoisted it into the tree.  Cubby, meanwhile, was examining the deer. ("Where's the mouth?  There's the tongue!  This is a male deer*.  What's that?  What's a windpipe for?  What's that white stuff?  What's cartilage?  Why?  Why?  Why?  Why?" ad infinitum.)

It's really too bad he's so squeamish.

So now every time I get in my car, which is parked approximately three feet from the deer, I am treated to a close-up view of the nearly-severed head with the tongue sticking out.  Lovely.

Looks like we'll be bringing some venison to Thanksgiving dinner.  How very authentic.

* Unless informed otherwise, Cubby assumes every animal is male.

5 comments:

Sherry said...

Good for A! There is nothing as good as venison that has been feeding on farmer's fields! I haven't had venison in years.

Anonymous said...

Congrats to A! I guess that "new" old military rifle he showed me worked well.

Lindsey at NW Backyard Veggies said...

That's hilarious. Hey, New York Wine People! Too funny.

But venison is so good...it must certainly eclipse turkey for Thanksgiving and for that we say a big Thank You and boy-howdy, roast it up.

Yum!

tu mere said...

If what I just read can be believed, kids are not naturally squeamish/grossed out. Basically, curious, until shown otherwise. Can't think of anything Cubby or Charlie will recoil from. Hey, even your niece watched the killing, gutting, and ate the squirrel soup after. Definitely a totally different world from mine, and y'alls, growing up!

flask said...

you guys are awesome.