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My Brother The Deer Hunting Enviromentalist.

by Author Ann


My brother has been shooting at animals since he was 11 and skinning fish since he was 4.

His house? It looks like a natural history museum for deer parts.

He tells folks that he only shoots for for the table. Even donates deer meet to folks down on their luck.


This hunting for necessity doesn't explain the two huge bear pelts from an organized bear hunt.

His oldest child is the same.


Talks about hunting all the time. Goes all over on hunts with his dad.


Someone even wanted to pay for them to go on a safari to Africa.

Together they father and child bond while looking for signs of horney deer.


And people here say, "What a wonderful thing!" 

(They're talking about bonding over hunting and shooting animals.)

Have you ever looked at a life white tail in the eyes?

I have.

Then there's his youngest child.

This child is amazing.

He told his dad that he didn't want to hunt. Wasn't his thing his little kid voice said.

But they pestered until one day

He went with them to deer hunt and he shot a 10 point.

First and only deer hunt he ever went on.

First and only deer he ever shot.

That deer was a beast. Huge.


The oldest couldn't believe the younger's luck.

But the youngest said, " That's enough and maybe even too much for me.."

Afterwards he told them that would be the end of hunting for him. He'd rather ride is dirt bike.

To my knowledge? He's never gone back.



If you talk to my brother, he'll tell you all about how he cares for those deer who's heads are on his wall. He'll tell you that he takes care of the environment and how shooting those deer are important to the "circle of life". He'll tell you about how Bambi is some character in a kids movie.

But if you ask his youngest? He'll tell you that Bambi is a metaphor for all living things and how we should care for them by being kind.

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Dogs barking. We're told that we have coyote problem. We're also told that we have a mountain lion problem.

I'm told that if  that mountain lion attacks my dogs and I shoot it? I can get arrested for harming a protected species.

I'm also told that if I shoot a coyote that's attacking my dogs?, I'm fine to do so because it's considered a danger to my pets..

Me? I'm just hoping that we all survive.

This is one crazy world.

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