Kibitz ‘n Bits

posted by Brandy on Nov 20

For those of you reading this blog who are hunters, here is fair warning that you might be offended. Okay, you will be offended but for right now, I don’t give a shit!

For those of you who know me, you know that I am a huge animal lover, passionate about animal rights and that I HATE HUNTERS. I hate them even more today then I did yesterday.

It all started when my husband and I took the kids and our two dogs to the park and spent the afternoon playing. Upon returning home, we found a burgundy colored, new Toyota Tacoma, parked at the base of our driveway and planted inside were two grown men, dressed in camouflage, and two young boys (around age 10) sitting in the back of the extended cab. All four of them were peering at our hillside through small, black binoculars. Perplexed, Dave and I pulled up our long driveway and parked our car. I kept gazing at the mountain side (that which is also my front yard) to see if I could spy what they were looking at.

Then I saw it. It was my family of dear (a beautiful brown doe, with a soft white tail and two of her baby fawns). I have come to know and foster this beautiful family by speckling deer food along the ridge-line up from my yard and throwing them the occasional apple or two.

Once I realized what the BOYS (and yes, from here on out I will refer to them as “Boys” since they will never earn the respect of being called “Men” in my world) were doing, I marched down to the base of my driveway and politely said, “Excuse me, you are NOThunting those deer are you?” They muffled a sharp “YES” and said that the Bow Hunt officially started and they were out to “get some deeeeeer.” (Thick, hickish accent………anyone remember the movie Deliverance?)

So I looked at them and snapped, “That wasn’t a question. You are NOT hunting those deer are you…..” With a look of surprise and a little irritation, they stated that they can bow hunt anywhere they want and that it is legal on any land that is not private.

I explained this land was ALL private and that I feed those deer everyday and that they are NOT going to hurt them. After a brief exchange of words that now I cannot recall, they drove off like injured animals, with their bows tucked between their legs in a hurry to flee from danger (MEAN OLD, BIG, SCARY BRANDY) and get to safety.

Later that evening, I did some research and learned that yes, the Bow Hunt in Utah officially started and much to my disgust, it is legal to bow hunt anywhere that is not within 600 feet from a residential dwelling. NICE……………..Bleck…….

So, I saved my family of deer that day.

But the hunters will be back. They will if they are smart enough to realize that this mountainside is not private property. And when they return, I will be right behind them. Only this time, with my air horn. YEP, you can teach your “sons” the (bull shit) art of hunting by driving through a populated, residential neighborhood that is dotted with families and small children, pull your truck over, park it next to the curb and walk 30 feet to kill a harmless deer and her fawns but I will be right behind you, ready to sound off my air horn to scare the deer out of your path. You suburban hunters are so talented…….WHOOOOOOO…….talk about SKILL, wow, I am SOOOOOOOO IMPRESSED.

If that isn’t bad enough, the two bucks that were accidentally hit by cars the other day, not too far from where I live, are still lying next to the road. Only this time, after lying there for 3 days, someone has now taken the liberty to SAW OFF THEIR ANTLERS, shamefully under the cover of night, and leave the rotting carcasses stripped of their bony outgrowths.

I imagine in the next week or two, those stolen antlers will be proudly displayed on someones wall. I think it is disgusting………..and quite pathetic.