Fall Hunting Sept 2, 2024 709 words

This summer, I have been blessed to witness a doe give birth to twins in the neighbor’s backyard. A small flock of turkeys chase each other in the clearing in the woods and skunks, raccoons wash their paws in the water trough. Soon, these sights will cease. Why? The start of hunting season is the answer. Small game, turkey and white tail deer. Hunting season’s vary but they run from September to to December 11th. People walking in wooded areas are encourage to wear bright colors such as orange or bright yellow. Deer are color blind so the bright orange is gray or tan to a deer’s vision.
Turkeys have ability to detect colors but their vision is a narrow field for the best sight. They rely on a sixth sense to identify dangerous shapes. They will retreat from a dangerous situation.
Raccoons, skunks and squirrels are not aggressive by nature but will bite a human if cornered or threaten. They would rather run away.
My brothers and my Dad would go up to the Upper Peninsula to Warners cabins for deer hunting in November. My Dad would recall the last time he and his father went hunting for deer. Grandpa Turnbull wanted to hunt one more time. Dad drove him to the blind, setting up with a seat, coffee and a blanket to stay warm while waiting for the deer to pass by.
“Dad, I will walk a circle and be back in a couple of hours.”
“I’ll be fine Bruce”
With Grandpa’s assurance, Dad started to walk through the woods. When he returned, Grandpa was sipping the last of his coffee. A buck was dressed and hanging in a nearby tree.
“Dad, how did you hang and dress the deer?”
“I had a little help.”
Grandpa did shoot a deer walking by. He couldn’t lift the deer carcass. Another hunter came out of the woods. He had been tracking an injured deer. The hunter agreed to share the deer with grandpa could keep the deer in the tree until my Dad showed up.
My Dad and brothers stayed hunting for a week. I only remember a rabbit dressed in our basement . I have no memories of any deer after Grandpa’s last deer.
My husband John tells a different story about hunting with his Dad and brothers. Dad and the three boys would hunt rabbits in early October. Each of the boys had shotguns. Dad would park on a rural road near state land and lead the boys in a large circle. They would come out within sight of the parked car. Ted, Gene and John would make animal sounds, hit the trees to rouse game scaring any animals to flee. John’s dad stopped carrying a gun, knowing that the boys would scare all the game for several miles. The three meals that the fathers cooked were spaghetti with Ragu sauce. Canned chili and pancakes After a long day in the woods, the boys would eat dinner and then fall asleep. The darkness with oil lamps for illumination encouraged early bedtime.
Going to deer hunting camp was a rite of passage for young boys. Stories of the multi point buck that got away got bigger and the rack grew larger with each telling.
I had my Mom to myself during hunting season. We would take the bus to Detroit to shop for the day and go out to lunch at Sanders sandwich shop.
With many of the hunted animals raging with testosterone, they were thinking of procreating not survival. There are fewer hunters in Michigan’s woods. Though the state land is free to use, the deer population has swelled to two million deer, forcing deer into urban areas. In our little wooded area, there is a doe with twins. We see them coming for seed and water daily.The increase in the number of deer has increased the number of deer/car accidents. Hunters are necessary to maintain a healthy deer population. In the next couple of months, be careful and watch for racing deer.
–*** poem
Deer run
white tail flags interest
two males fence with antlers
The winner gets the doe
If she accepts him.
a racing car puts an end to romance
carolaspot@aol.com September 2, 2024