A COUPLE OF DEER STORIES

New Carlow – After watching his deer swim across the York River and die on the far shore a New Carlow hunter stripped to his birthday suit, clenched his knife in his teeth like some swashbuckling pirate and swam the frigid November waters to eviscerate his downed quarry. He then returned (another swim), dressed and returned to his home for a boat in order to claim his venison. Not only did the hunter, who wishes to remain anonymous, exhibit a high level of ethics he obeyed the Fish & Game laws. (My kingdom for a camera!)

How did I learn of this?

His mother called and asked me to not reveal my source – which I didn’t – until now about three decades after the act and it is not likely that he will read this.

PYGMALION

No, this is not about pigs but a deer camp and pigs.

It seems that a prophesy has come true. Many years ago (in 1972) a deer hunter’s in-law dubbed the deer camp members as Pork Hunters claiming that the gang couldn’t shoot anything but barnyard animals. During the 1987 deer hunt a brother-in-law released, unannounced, two ruptured pigs into their hunting area. When one of the hunters returned to camp from his watch all wide-eyed he claimed to have seen no deer – but two pigs.

He was teased mercilessly for no one had seen said pigs.

Two days later that very same deer hunter saw the porkers a second time. There would be no more teasing. As it happened the camp’s propane refrigerator had broken down and the pork roast slated for dinner had been ruined. Our hunter thought that he had saved the day – not knowing that the pig would be inedible.

That night nine deer and a pig hung from the Pork Hunters’ Deer Camp meat pole when the Conservation Officer paid them a visit.

In all his years of visiting deer camps the C.O. had never seen a pig hanging out with deer. His only comeback?

“Why didn’t you tag it?”