How not to catch a deer >> >> > >> Why we shoot deer in the wild (A letter from someone who wants to >> > >> remain anonymous, who farms, writes well and actually tried this) >> __________________________________________________________ >> >> > >> I had this idea that I could rope a deer, put it in a stall, >> > >> feed it up on corn for a couple of weeks, then kill it and eat it. The >> > >> first step in this adventure was getting a deer. I figured that, since >> > >> they congregate at my cattle feeder and do not seem to have much fear >> > >> of me when we are there (a bold one will sometimes come right up and >> > >> sniff at the bags of feed while I am in the back of the truck not 4 >> > >> feet away), it should not be difficult to rope one, get up to it and >> > >> toss a bag over its head (to calm it down) then hog tie it and >> > >> transport it home. >> > >> >> > >> I filled the cattle feeder then hid down at the end with my >> > >> rope. The cattle, having seen the roping thing before, stayed well >> > >> back. They were not having any of it. After about 20 minutes, my deer >> > >> showed up-- 3 of them. I picked out a likely looking one, stepped out >> > >> from the end of the feeder, and threw my rope. The deer just stood >> > >> there and stared at me. I wrapped the rope around my waist and twisted >> > >> the end so I would have a good hold.. >> > >> >> > >> The deer still just stood and stared at me, but you could tell >> > >> it was mildly concerned about the whole rope situation. I took a step >> > >> towards it, it took a step away. I put a little tension on the rope >> > >> .., and then received an education. The first thing that I learned is >> > >> that, while a deer may just stand there looking at you funny while you >> > >> rope it, they are spurred to action when you start pulling on that >> > >> rope. >> > >> >> > >> That deer EXPLODED. The second thing I learned is that pound >> > >> for pound, a deer is a LOT stronger than a cow or a colt. A cow or a >> > >> colt in that weight range I could fight down with a rope and with some >> > >> dignity. A deer-- no Chance. That thing ran and bucked and twisted and >> > >> pulled. There was no controlling it and certainly no getting close to >> > >> it. As it jerked me off my feet and started dragging me across the >> > >> ground, it occurred to me that having a deer on a rope was not nearly >> > >> as good an idea as I had originally imagined.. The only upside is that >> > >> they do not have as much stamina as many other animals. >> > >> >> > >> A brief 10 minutes later, it was tired and not nearly as quick >> > >> to jerk me off my feet and drag me when I managed to get up. It took >> > >> me a few minutes to realize this, since I was mostly blinded by the >> > >> blood flowing out of the big gash in my head. At that point, I had >> > >> lost my taste for corn-fed venison. I just wanted to get that devil >> > >> creature off the end of that rope. >> > >> >> > >> I figured if I just let it go with the rope hanging around its >> > >> neck, it would likely die slow and painfully somewhere. At the time, >> > >> there was no love at all between me and that deer. At that moment, I >> > >> hated the thing, and I would venture a guess that the feeling was >> > >> mutual. Despite the gash in my head and the several large knots where >> > >> I had cleverly arrested the deers momentum by bracing my head against >> > >> various large rocks as it dragged me across the ground, I could still >> > >> think clearly enough to recognize that there was a small chance that I >> > >> shared some tiny amount of responsibility for the situation we were >> > >> in. I didnt want the deer to have to suffer a slow death, so I >> > >> managed to get it lined back up in between my truck and the feeder - a >> > >> little trap I had set before hand...kind of like a squeeze chute. I >> > >> got it to back in there and I started moving up so I could get my rope >> > >> back. >> > >> >> > >> Did you know that deer bite? >> > >> >> > >> They do! I never in a million years would have thought that a >> > >> deer would bite somebody, so I was very surprised when ..... I reached >> > >> up there to grab that rope and the deer grabbed hold of my wrist. Now, >> > >> when a deer bites you, it is not like being bit by a horse where they >> > >> just bite you and slide off to then let go. A deer bites you and >> > >> shakes its head--almost like a pit bull. They bite HARD and it hurts. >> > >> >> > >> The proper thing to do when a deer bites you is probably to >> > >> freeze and draw back slowly. I tried screaming and shaking instead. My >> > >> method was ineffective. >> > >> >> > >> It seems like the deer was biting and shaking for several >> > >> minutes, but it was likely only several seconds. I, being smarter than >> > >> a deer (though you may be questioning that claim by now), tricked it. >> > >> While I kept it busy tearing the tendons out of my right arm, I >> > >> reached up with my left hand and pulled that rope loose. >> > >> >> > >> That was when I got my final lesson in deer behavior for the day. >> > >> >> > >> Deer will strike at you with their front feet. They rear right >> > >> up on their back feet and strike right about head and shoulder level, >> > >> and their hooves are surprisingly sharp... I learned a long time ago >> > >> that, when an animal -like a horse --strikes at you with their hooves >> > >> and you cant get away easily, the best thing to do is try to make a >> > >> loud noise and make an aggressive move towards the animal. This will >> > >> usually cause them to back down a bit so you can escape. >> > >> >> > >> This was not a horse. This was a deer, so obviously, such >> > >> trickery would not work. In the course of a millisecond, I devised a >> > >> different strategy. I screamed like a woman and tried to turn and run. >> > >> The reason I had always been told NOT to try to turn and run from a >> > >> horse that paws at you is that there is a good chance that it will hit >> > >> you in the back of the head. Deer may not be so different from horses >> > >> after all, besides being twice as strong and 3 times as evil, because >> > >> the second I turned to run, it hit me right in the back of the head >> > >> and knocked me down. >> > >> >> > >> Now, when a deer paws at you and knocks you down, it does not >> > >> immediately leave. I suspect it does not recognize that the danger has >> > >> passed. What they do instead is paw your back and jump up and down on >> > >> you while you are laying there crying like a little girl and covering >> > >> your head. >> > >> >> > >> I finally managed to crawl under the truck and the deer went >> > >> away. So now I know why when people go deer hunting they bring a rifle >> > >> with a scope......to sort of even the odds!! >> > >> >> > >> All these events are true so help me God... An Educated Farmer
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 01:58:57 +0000
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