The Hunter

This is my dad with the antlers from the deer he killed while we lived in Sandpoint, Idaho. That is our house behind him, and our puppy, Bonnie with him. Actually I should be in the photo, too. Daddy when out one day and killed the deer but was only able to bring in the two hind quarters of the deer that evening before it got dark. He wanted me to go back with him the next to help get the rest of it as it would be a long walk. I was thrilled, and of course I got to skip school. A lot of the kids there could get out of school for hunting as many families depending on deer and elk meat for food, as we did. So off I went with him the next day and walked the two miles in to where the deer was. He cut the antlers off the head as it wasn't worth bringing out, but by law a hunter was required to have the antlers to prove it was a buck or male deer he had killed and not a female (doe). He decided he could only carry one of the front quarters and I would carry the antlers. It was a very long walk back to the truck with that set of antlers across my shoulders but I made it. To make matters worse there was a big snow storm coming in and it was getting colder and colder so we left the other part of the deer there. Dad always said it was the only time he ever left part of a kill in the woods. He said the antlers were mine as I carried them out, and they still hang in my bedroom today. I don't mind antlers (deer lose them every winter anyway) but I sure don't want deer heads in my house.