Day 87 CJSM

Day 87

 

Carl helping Alex clean his first deer---

The first cut is the most painful!

 

Oh! Yeah! The German “socialist” boy comes to America; my new son-in-law!

Well! I am a hunter, at the time of his first fall season in our fair land and the young man has a fascination with firearms. We went shooting a few times and subsequently took his dad with us when he visited here. What an enlightening experience (for them---and…me). How so? The encounter confirmed my hypothesis that people are basically the same, that is, they know right from wrong, good from evil and that “independence” is man’s destiny; they came to love America for the “equality” of individuals which we take for granted.

Sure, they love the Fatherland, it’s their home, as dear to them as my country is to me.

They, too, can celebrate my mantra: Faith! Family! Freedom! Enjoying the taste of “Liberty”.

German citizens can own guns and shoot, but they have to belong to a “gun” club to do so.

So? We bought son-in-law Alexander a 12-guage shotgun, deer slugs and orange vest and cap. And, I put him on a stand in the woods telling him I would come get him at noon for lunch.

There was a big ole buck in the area and I had spooked him late the day before; didn’t get a glimpse of him, but I did hear his massive hoof-beat betraying his huge bulk.

As I stepped into the forest around 11:30 of the second morning---Boom! The echo shook the fall silence about fifty yards ahead of me---Alex!

“Did you get it,” I yelled in the sudden stillness of the woods silenced by the shot.

“Yep!’ Came his deep-voiced reply, somewhat calm but with a tinge of excitement.

Laughing at his purposely restrained exhilaration (he is German, after all), I called out, “What is it?” I was hoping he had salted the tail of that big whitetail wraith I knew was about.

“A big buck!” Came the young man’s barely restrained exclamation!

Moving ahead, I found proud Alex standing over a huge 12-point buck deer!

I congratulated “Davy Crockette” and listened as he told me the entire tale from the early morn when I put him “on stand” until the shot. He was very excited; and, should have been.

Then, I began the distasteful task of field dressing the huge animal.

One of the first things to do is to “neuter” the carcass; reluctantly, I began, explaining to Alex so that he would learn and could do the next one.

As I made the “terrible” cut, I allowed, “I sure hate to do this to you, old boy.”

Alex, with sober pragmatism, said, deftly, “He doesn’t need it anymore.”

Wow! That---hurt!...Literally! Like I said previously: He is a pragmatic German!

So, I called him Davy Crockett and cousin Eric “Dan’l Boone” (he got a big buck, too). And, what about me on that hunt? Well! I cleaned two deer and got some needed exercise. Fantastic!

But, that hunt remains a top memory and loving experience in my treasure-repertoire.

 

Ah! Cookie Jar “eviscerated” Sweet Memory!