Karen Jackson & Her First Deer! ...Special appearance by Rudy!

I received an email from my Double-Double Third Cousin-in-Law (It really isn't that complicated... just let it go...) yesterday and have included it below...

Cousin Glynn, I assume the next thing I learn about "This Particular Girl" is... she probably holds hands too???

"A Deer Hunt"

"A Girl"... a.k.a Karen Jackson...

Glynn and I spent the week at the cabin and on Tuesday… I killed my 1^st Deer ! ! ! (See attached pictures of my deer and faithful deer dog.) (Editor's note: Failure by Karen to name and credit her "faithful deer dog" Rudy for any part he played in the success of this hunting event was strictly an oversight on her part and in no way diminishes his role as "faithful deer dog"...) I was sitting in the tower that Glynn built for his Dad, Bob, some seven years ago. I had just finished the Good Housekeeping magazine that I had been gazing up and down from and was getting restless. I bent down to trade my magazine for the peanuts I had in my “hunting handbag”…..yes…..I really do have one and of course it is camouflaged. It is organized with all very necessary hunting items.

After all . . . I am a girl!

As I was sitting back up, I saw three deer step out of the tree line into the broom sage. One of them was significantly larger than the other two so I quietly put the peanuts aside and got binoculars from my “hunting handbag”.

Focusing on the largest, I was hoping that it would be either a doe or a legal buck. Seeing no signs of antlers – not even a nub – I knew I was looking at a really large doe. Slowly picking up my gun . . . (a Ruger .270 bolt-action that Glynn gave me one Christmas) . . . I shot and she dropped. I quickly swung around to the other two but they were both in full run. I always wondered how I would feel when this moment came and looking back on it, am surprised by how very calm I felt setting up and then pulling the trigger.

I knew that although I had shot and killed thousands of clay pigeons, this was quite a bit different emotionally. Therefore, it is not too hard to understand that immediately after… I started shaking all over…I mean really shaking. I am sure it was from a number of emotions, but excitement and elation certainly were the primary ones. Knowing that I had – without a doubt - hit her, I bent down and picked up my shell casing and put it in my “hunting handbag” - after all, it was from killing my first deer!

Part of me wanted to fly down from the stand to see what I knew was true – that I had really and truly done it…I had killed my first deer with my first shot!!! However, I did as Glynn had told me over and over, “Just stay where you are. Don’t get down. If the deer isn’t dead, you don’t want to crowd it and make it run”. So still shaking, I told myself, “Okay, settle down, take deep breaths…calm….” My thoughts were then interrupted by - unbelievably - a buck – about an 8 pointer. He stepped out of the tree line and looked right straight at me.

I froze (only I was still shaking). He froze (he was probably shaking too). I slowly picked my gun back up and aimed at him just as he turned. I knew even as I pulled the trigger that it wasn’t a good shot and it wasn’t – I missed. But I’m okay with that, in truth, I don’t know if my heart could have handled killing two 1^st deer in one day! I knew Glynn would have heard my shots and would be coming soon. He knew that I would not go to the deer until he had verified that it was dead . . . We had discussed this many times. I would not - nor could not - do that.

After all . . . I am a girl!

It wasn’t long before I saw his truck heading through the pasture toward my stand. He waited where he knew I could see him until I waved him on. As he drove up, I gave him a thumbs up and vigorously nodded my head up and down so he knew. When he opened the truck door, the smile and approval that I saw on his face was priceless. He was soooo proud!!!

I flew out of the stand and rapidly began telling him the story. While we were standing there talking, I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and told Glynn to turn around slowly. It was the buck again!!! My gun was still in the stand and his still in his truck. Nevertheless, as I said, I’m okay with just one 1^st deer – it just makes the story better in the telling! J

Once Glynn checked on the deer and verified that she was indeed dead, we took pictures, and took her back to the cabin. Once again, Glynn understood when I had to disappear for a little while. Although I had helped him the day before cut and clean the deer he shot (after all, it really isn’t any different from the meat I buy and cook from the grocery store) I could not watch the first part.

After all . . . I am a girl! J

Once he had the meat impersonalized, I helped him finish cutting, cleaning and icing down our meat. While we were doing all that, Glynn said, “You know who I wish was here right now, don’t you? He would be so proud of you!” I nodded, and said, “But he is…and proceeded to explain that God parted the clouds just a little and said, ‘Bob! Come quick! I have something to show you and I know you’ll really enjoy it’.”

We stopped long enough to draw strength from each other’s hug, both of us thinking about how much Bob loved the land we stood on and the immense pleasure and pride he drew from working, hunting, and every so often, relaxing on it. With tears shining in both our eyes, it was a long time before either of us was able to talk again as we finished our task.

We were both quite tired from our long and exciting day and both ready to clean up and rest…..and then I remembered…..I had left my “hunting handbag” in the stand! Glynn, of course, said, “It will be okay till we go back to the stand in the morning.” To which I said, “NO! It has my stuff in there!” He gave me that look that says, “Right…uhhh….huuu!” But, yep, being the gallant husband he is, he drove us back and I retrieved my never to be without “hunting handbag”. . .

After all . . . I am a girl!

Once we were back in the cabin, all fresh and clean, Glynn and I talked about having my doe mounted and how Bob used to say, “Hon, when you get your 1^st doe, we’ll mount it right up there between those two bucks.” We had never really thought about it before, but now we talked about how strange it was that he always said, “When you get your 1^st doe” and the deer I did indeed shoot first, was a doe.

The next morning, Glynn called the taxidermist... he wanted to mount my doe. He said he could do it any way I wanted it….turned to the right – or the left – whatever I wanted.

I said, “Okay, I’d like for her to be winking.” . . . . . .

After all . . . I am a girl!

Congratulations Karen! What a great experience!

I share your emotions... it was as if I was there... I could even feel the warmth from the parting clouds...

Thank you for sharing...

D-D3rdC-I-L Richard... (People... I said, "Just let it go...")

One more footnote... The old Ford in the photo was purchased new by Glynn's Dad, Bob Jackson, in 1968 for $3,100... and Glynn learned to drive in this great truck when he was 14...

Bob Gave the truck to Glynn about 10 years ago... He describes it, " It has a 240 6-cylinder with a hand choke and 1-barrel carburetor, and a 3-speed shift on the column. With no power anything, I can stand on the ground under the hood and work on the engine. It has a thousand memories and I love to drive it."

Glynn, maybe it's a guy thing... but I know your truck and I've never even seen it... I bet it even smells good...

...Back to Hunting... Home