Gone South: Hunting — Days of the deer drive

Anniston Star ^ | 11/26/03 | Harvey H. Jackson

[Holly_P]

Hunting season is upon us. Now I don’t hunt any more. I did once. And might again. But not right now. Like so many of you, I grew up in a hunting culture, surrounded by folks who would wake up early, breathe in the crisp Fall air, and announce “what a beautiful morning, I think I’ll go kill something.”

I never became a serious hunter. I lacked the patience for turkeys and time taken learning to call ’em up was, to me then, time wasted. Squirrels and doves were fun, ’cause I got to shoot a lot, and what I brought home my Mama cooked. We hunted for the pot. I was taught early that hunting was different from killing, and unless it was a varmint (like a rat) you didn’t bring it down unless you intended to eat it. So when we went out at night for ‘possum or raccoon, we did so knowing that what we brought back would be cleaned and given to folks who ate such as that. (I have eaten both, but with little enthusiasm.)

Maybe, liking to shoot as much as I did, I should have turned to skeet, but you can’t eat a clay pigeon and as I said, food was our goal.

But of all the hunting I did, I remember deer hunting best.

Like so much else, deer hunting has changed over the years. Today they hunt with high-powered rifles and scopes, from tree stands. Back in my prime hunting years it was shotguns, and it wasn’t a deer hunt, it was a deer “drive,” a ritual of male-bonding that allowed boys to mix with the men not as equals but as novices and initiates, on the edge of manhood but not yet there. Men organized the drive, picked the land, got the dogs, and set the hunters on their “stands,” not in trees but at the places where a deer, flushed back in the thicket, might come out to escape the hounds, might try to slip away from what pursued it, and come instead to one of us waiting in ambush.

My daddy would wake me early. He would cook breakfast for the two of us — meat and eggs and biscuits — food for men, hunters, going out to provide for the sleeping family. Then we’d leave in the jeep, cold air coming in around the plastic windows knocking us awake, till we reached the meeting place. Mr. Buster, whose farm lay next to ours, would be there first, fire going, and soon other men and sons, if they had them, would arrive. We would stand in the heat and smoke of pine knots so that we would smell like the woods and not ourselves —just in case the wind was behind us.

Though it was early there was usually a bottle, with something in it clear as water that only men drank as they talked about who would go with the dogs and who would hold which stand. And spoke quietly, reverently of old times and hunters, dogs and deer gone from the earth while we, the boys, listened. Then we went to our places. We boys always got the poorest spots, the stands deer and dogs were least likely to come by, for we weren’t worthy yet, and would not be until we were older or until, through luck usually, a deer appeared and we brought it down.

That was when someone, a father probably, would take the hot blood and mark our face with that badge of honor only hunters wore. (And we, the boys, knew what would happen if we shot and missed, of how someone, probably Mr. Buster, would take his knife so sharp he could shave with it and cut our shirt-tail off, and we would go home disgraced.)

So we took our stands. And we listened for the dogs and for the running deer. And when we didn’t hear them, we watched the brush or the trail and waited until there was a shot and the word spreading along from stand to stand that there would be meat in camp.

The deer would be drug out, hung up, field dressed, and with the bottle going round again the boys would be sent out to help find the dogs. The man who felled it would get a hindquarter and rest would get a cut. Then we’d go home.

For all the hunting I did, I never killed a deer. Never even got a clear shot.

Then, about 10 years ago, I finally got one. Got it just south of Glencoe. On U.S. 431.

With an Oldsmobile.

And there was no one there to bloody my face.

About Harvey H. Jackson Harvey H. Jackson is a professor and chairman of the history department at Jacksonville State University.

[Holly_P]

There won't be a lot of discussion here. All the deer hunters are in the woods - no computers there.

I've only been deer hunting 2 times and froze my butt off both times and didn't even see a deer. I see them everywhere when not hunting though.

Just thought this article might bring back some old memories.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I've been hunting deer sincce I was 8. Still hunt today at soon to be 50. I will quit when I can no longer make a clean kill with one shot or when you can no longer hunt due to the liberals. If it's the later I will poach. Venison in the freezer is a good thing. I don't like to kill deer with a vehicle. If you hit a deer at 60 mph that is considered fast food and bad form.

[Blzbba]

"I've only been deer hunting 2 times and froze my butt off both times and didn't even see a deer. I see them everywhere when not hunting though. "


Whoa! That totally sums up my deer-hunting experiences also! The closest I've come to killing a buck was when I swerved to avoid a LARGE 10-pointer that was seemingly oblivious to my SUV.

I'd rather fish now. Occasionally, I'll keep a catfish or some crappie for dinner, but it's mainly catch/release of largemouths and stripers.

[Snowy]

They need to hunt in state parks. I know Valley Forge has about 1500 deer, by their own estimates. I go there a lot and have almost been trampled by a herd. The last time I was there, I had to wait for a few to cross the road so they could join the other 30-40 on the other side. They're beautiful animals, but there are too many of them.

[MissTargets]

I am not a hunter, (I kill those little orange thingys you can't eat), but I sure enjoy reading these types of articles. Thanks for the post

[Piquaboy]

I gave up hunting when I became an old goat. Not that I was not able too but because I no longer enjoyed it. I still target shoot now and then.

[bk1000]

Memories, indeed! I remember deer drives exactly as written here. It was a rite of passage that has been all but lost to a 'progressive, PC society'. This article brought me a bit of melancholy. Such memories last a lifetime, and no 'modern' tradition is evolving to replace it. Sad. These days, such an activity is seen as barbarism and corrupting of the child.

[Quilla]

If you hit a deer at 60 mph that is considered fast food and bad form.

Tell that to my son (whose truck was recently stolen as I mentioned on the Alabama message board). He borrowed my mother's car Thanksgiving evening, hit a deer, broke his leg in two places, and totaled her car. I prefer the traditional way.

His first deer.

[CFW]

My husband got a nice sized buck yesterday. My youngest son (age 21) was with him.

They dressed it, cut it up, and put it in the cooling refigerator. More food for the freezer, but also, they had a great time, just being together for the day. You can't buy memories like that at the grocery store.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yes numbers must be kept at a level the environment can support. If the deeer are healthy looking, they are being managed. I would think that the numbers are monitored by some agency. But then again I have been wrong before.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Bullets are cheaper than cars. The expense of harvesting deer with cars far outweighs the value of the meat ; )

Any word on his Z-71.

[waterstraat]

I've only been deer hunting 2 times and froze my butt off both times and didn't even see a deer. I see them everywhere when not hunting though.

The deer know when you are hunting them, and when you are just out for a walk in the woods.

[GungaLaGunga]

I have a brand new, 2004 Chevy Trailblazer with less than 2,000 miles on it that was towed to the dealer last night after it came into 55mph contact with what originally was about an 8-point buck. Kill them all. Bomb them, poison them, shoot them or even hang them. But kill them all.

[Holly_P]

Just was reading a little about chronic wasting disease and had never heard of it before today. How common is it?

A little about it here:

http://web.dailycamera.com/news/cwd.html

[From The Deer Stand]

There's nothing better than fresh venison tenderloins fried in a pan of onions and mushrooms. I've hunted many years, have a few horns hanging on the wall, and enjoy the crisp temperatures, commune with nature, observing wildlife, comraderie with fellow hunters, the hunting camp poker games, etc. Our hunting group isn't prone to making deer drives - too dangerous. The serenity of the tree stand is relaxing. The more we shoot, the less are hit by vehicles.

[Quilla]

Nope, but thanks for asking. LEO are rechecking the area's numerous towing companies now that they have returned from the holidays. We're still praying for a miracle.

Son had borrowed my Matthews bow before gun season started. He'd been keeping it in his toolbox. Just last night he said to me "It's a good thing I got your bow out of my truck before the trip, Mom." His good leg is safe for the time being. ;-)

[Conspiracy Guy]

Don't hit them with your vehicle. It bruises the meat.

[Fangorn]

Well, we lease a section of land in the southeast part of the state and put up tree stands. I shot my first deer when I was 36, about 6 years ago, a 10 point buck, from a tree stand. Never shot anything before, and got this one at a dead run from about 50 yards.

No shot for a marksman or skilled hunter, but for a 6'2" 260 lb guy 20 feet up in a homemade treestand welded by my brother in law, with a 15 mph wind in the treetops, I was just glad I didn't fall on the deer. It was a lung/heart shot, he ran about 50 yards and keeled over. (The deer, not my brother in law...)

We go down to the land, put up the tents, start a huge fire, but none of the blood marking, or shirt tail cutting. That just seems strange. We might occasionally re-enact the camp fire scene from Blazing Saddles, and nothing says male bonding like performing eliminatory functions in the woods.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Hasn't hit the south yet as far as I know. But has been a problem in northern border states I believe. I guess I'll read your link and get it right.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yep I was right. I hope they can contain it. Alabama has one of the largest herds per square mile of all 50 states.

[E Rocc]

I've heard that on opening day some places more hunters than deer get shot. The deer are sober. >:)

-Eric

[Conspiracy Guy]

Oh your son broke his leg. I thought the deer's leg was broken. Did this happen in the deer accident?

[Fangorn]

It's the second week of deer camp
And all the guys are here
We drink play cards and shoot the bull
But never shoot no deer
The only time we leave the camp
Is when we go for beer
The second week of deer camp
Is the greatest time of year

[Rebelbase]

*Ping* Hunting threads just aren't the same without you.

[Constitution Day]

*snicker*

[stainlessbanner]

we’d leave in the jeep, cold air coming in around the plastic windows knocking us awake

Jeep On!

[4CJ]

Jeep On!

4CJ!

[Quilla]

Yep. Right down the road from our house. When his cell phone number showed up on caller ID about 15 minutes before he was expected home, I almost had a heart attack. When I answered, he said "Mom, Mom, I've had a wreck and broken my leg!" I was in my pajamas, grabbed my purse and husband and we took off. OnStar had already called an ambulance and State Troopers. He'll be fine, but it's going to take a little while. We're thinking about changing his name to SnakeBit.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Call him Lucky.

[rebelyell]

I killed 3 does last week and they will feed my family many meals over the next few months. My family had venison sausage and eggs for breakfast. Mmm Mmmm.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Chili, spaghetti sauce, grilled tenderloin, Swiss Steak, venison/wild pig sausage, I have only been filling doe tags and killing pigs till something bigger than my two 8 point heads (Frick and Frack) in the study comes along.

[rebelyell]

I'm with you brother. I like 'em all. My children prefer duck over any meat, including chicken, pork and beef. Good thing, too, because I shoot a pile of ducks every year!

[Conspiracy Guy]

I cut duck breasts into thin strips and saute it with butter, green peppers, and onions.

[uglybiker]

They just don't make shivvies like they used to. My brother's bagged two bucks this year with his '72 El Camino. ;-)

[rebelyell]

Yum, I like 'em like that too! My favortite is to marinate the breasts in itallian or a olive oil/soy mixture overnight, wrap 'em in good bacon and cook barely medium rare over real wood. Oh yeah....that's good stuff. Give me a wood duck or a teal anyday....I let the other folks keep the mallards et al. Corn fed teal is hard to beat!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Wood Duck and Teal are much better. Mallards are too fatty. I'll never admit it but squirrel and dumplings would be really good if someone was inclined to make it.

[Fangorn]

Ok, I speak for my gravitationally challenged self here, who has been reduced to eating meat, eggs, and salad, that you're KILLING ME here. Of course, I guess all that wild game is Atkins approved.

Squirrel dumplings ain't on the list though. I have had 'em and they are unbelievable.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Wild game should be Atkins approved. Dumplings would be a no no.

[bk1000]

Duck fajitas, with red bell pepper strips, onions, and sun dried cherries. Cook it with a little mirin and rice vinegar. Wrap in a flour tortilla, add a bit of sour cream. It'll make you slap yo mammy!

[Conspiracy Guy]

That does sound good!!!