Illegal Deer

I'm about to blog about my trip to Vieques, but first a short rant: As many of you probably know, it is rifle season here in Vermont. I am a supporter of deer hunting. Last year, Netdahe got a deer and we had a wonderful, family "thanksgiving" meal. Dahe hunted respectfully and talked about this experience in an honest and beautiful way. We cooked and ate that animal with respect and love. Many families around here stock their freezer with local, healthy meat for the year. I believe in this.

Today as I headed out for a run with Rosie she immediately spotted something in the woods directly across the road from our house. I called her off, but quickly realized that it was a deer and that it was struggling. I watched as it fell, got up and tried to run, fell again, repeat. I went back into the house and called our local constable (Paul, who is past 70 and the guy you call for anything if you live in Burke). I had to leave a message as he was likely enjoying a Thanksgiving meal somewhere. After our run, he returned my call and suggested I call the game warden, which I did, but the game warden was out responding to a complaint and ultimately arresting someone (ah, deer season!). So Paul came by and I indicated the area where I'd seen the deer and described her/his behavior). He went out after it and just came back a few minutes ago to tell me that he'd found it, it was still struggling, and that he'd taken care of it. He also said it was an illegal one. So obviously some careless hunter shot it, realized he couldn't legally take it, and abandoned it to die a long, suffering death. Now that pisses me off. That's what gives deer hunting a bad name. Thanks to Paul for taking time out of his holiday to end the creature's suffering. And fuck the bastard who didn't bother to check carefully before shooting and then cowardly abandoned his "kill".