My Hunting Experience
My First and Only Deer Harvest
By Mary J Williams ©
I don’t even remember the year. Back in the recesses of my mind, I think I only had Chris. Probably Jim’s mom was taking care of him. I want to say it was probably between 1968 and 1970.
Jim and I had purchased a piece of property on Hwy 89N, about five mile from Chamois, Missouri. It was the old blacksmith place. I called it the barn. Jim called it the ranch.
I do remember that Jim was at the fire station working. I decided to go down to Chamois, on my own, and go deer hunting! I took off in the old green station wagon. I don’t even remember the kind of vehicle it was. I had my 30-30 Marlin, lever action rifle with no scope.
I started down the path that led to the deer stand. I had my binoculars, my knife, a rope, a book to read, my Stanly thermos with coffee. Yes, I brought a book. Always had one with me, even when I went fishing.
I stopped on a portion of the path that met with another path. I figured it might be a good spot. I sat for a while! Nothing happening here, so, I got up to move on. I am not sure this happened on this trip, but it did happen. I am going to add it in. There were some cedar trees, kind of in a row, facing a hill with not many trees or bushes. It dropped down to an area that has water when it rains. I can sit pretty still when I want to. I looked up and saw a coyote coming my way. I didn’t move an eyelash. I waited to see what he would do. He came closer and closer. He climbed up the side I was on. He was not more then 20 feet from me. He started sniffing the ground. I finally decided to clear my voice. It was so funny. I went Ha-hmm! Quite loud actually. He lifted his head, looked in my direction and took off back to where he came from, only this time it was a matter of seconds to the top of the opposite hill and not the five minutes or so it took him to come down and up to where I was sitting.
I decided to move then. Figured no deer would be around there. I moved back over to where the deer stand was. I climbed up there. I got out the binoculars and took a quick look of the area. I listened to all the noises. I swear I could hear the butterflies hitting the leaves. I decided to have a cup of coffee and a little rest. I closed my eyes for just a bit.
Something startled me and I opened my eyes and looked around and listened. I heard a shuffling noise. I kept listening and looking. I finally saw a doe, not too far from me. I lifted up my rifle very slowly. Then all those things were going through my mind. Make sure it’s a deer, make sure you have a tag for a doe, look around and make sure no other orange is in the area. Whew! By that time, I was a nervous wreck. Remember, I didn’t have a scope. I eyeballed the shot and took it. I missed, but the deer still stood there. She didn’t know where the noise came from. I was up the hill from her and then up in the stand. I took another shot, and she went down. I have to admit, I almost peed my pants right then. I grabbed all my stuff and headed down to where I thought she should be. I found her right away but she wasn’t dead yet. Then it was, “where do I shoot to kill her quickly?” I finally took a shot to the head. My shot that brought her down hit her in the spine. I have heard so many stories of what you should and shouldn’t do from this point. The glands in the legs. Removal of the intestines and all the other organs. My mind was whirling. I also had quite a hill to climb with this doe and she was huge. I also remembered to make sure while pulling, I wasn’t going against the fur. It is easier to pull that way. I put the rope around the neck and started pulling up hill. Oh, my word. This doe is really heavy. I didn’t get far. Stopped, took out my hunting knife. Made a slit from the rib cage all the way down. I took out all the organs that I could see. Wrapped the rope around the does neck again and started hauling her up the hill when all of a sudden there were rifle shots that sounded so close. I hid behind a tree. At first, I thought someone might think I was a deer. The shooting stopped. I got the rope and trudged up the hill that somehow got higher then it was before! By the time I got to the barn, I was worn out. Now for the next challenge. How do I get the deer, into the back of the station wagon, by myself. This was before cell phones. There wasn’t a phone at the barn. I was on my own. Now you are going to have read this and close your eyes and envision this. I climbed into the back of the station wagon. I had the head and the front legs and just a portion of the upper body in the vehicle. I placed on foot on one side of the door frame and one foot on the other side of the door frame. I pulled with all my might. I got a little more then half of the doe in the vehicle. I moved back a little and pulled some more. I actually got the doe into the back and was able to shut the door. I gathered up all my belongings and headed down to Russell Staley’s home which was just off Hwy 100 in Chamois. He came out when I drove in. I told him I got the deer, but I had no clue what to do now. He looked at the doe in the vehicle. He asked me how I got her in there. I told him, with a little visual added and he laughed and laughed. Russel took over and got the doe and hung her in his garage. He had another great laugh when he saw that I cut her from stem to stern. I was glad I gave him a good laugh. He told me the deer would be okay hanging there until Jim could come get it.
I headed home. However, my first stop was at the fire station. I had to tell Jim that I shot a deer. At first, I didn’t think he believed me, until I told him the whole story. I also told him Russell had the deer, until we could get back there to take care of it.
I think we were able to go down the next day. I know we hung the deer for a day, skinned it. The hooves were placed in the barn and used as hooks for a long time.
Jim and I were not rich. Nor did we have a lot of extra cash. Processing fees can be high. Guess who processed part of that meat. Have you ever heard of a spine roast? My deer had one. We might have taken some meat to make burger with, but I really don’t remember. I know I cut up pieces of meat and put names on them. I had no clue what I was doing, but got it done!
This is one of those moments in your life that you will never ever forget! Maybe some of the small details but not the best parts! I hope you have enjoyed the story of my hunting experience!
By the way, a little note about the Coyote. I found out later, I could have shot the Coyote during deer season.
I don’t even remember the year. Back in the recesses of my mind, I think I only had Chris. Probably Jim’s mom was taking care of him. I want to say it was probably between 1968 and 1970.
Jim and I had purchased a piece of property on Hwy 89N, about five mile from Chamois, Missouri. It was the old blacksmith place. I called it the barn. Jim called it the ranch.
I do remember that Jim was at the fire station working. I decided to go down to Chamois, on my own, and go deer hunting! I took off in the old green station wagon. I don’t even remember the kind of vehicle it was. I had my 30-30 Marlin, lever action rifle with no scope.
I started down the path that led to the deer stand. I had my binoculars, my knife, a rope, a book to read, my Stanly thermos with coffee. Yes, I brought a book. Always had one with me, even when I went fishing.
I stopped on a portion of the path that met with another path. I figured it might be a good spot. I sat for a while! Nothing happening here, so, I got up to move on. I am not sure this happened on this trip, but it did happen. I am going to add it in. There were some cedar trees, kind of in a row, facing a hill with not many trees or bushes. It dropped down to an area that has water when it rains. I can sit pretty still when I want to. I looked up and saw a coyote coming my way. I didn’t move an eyelash. I waited to see what he would do. He came closer and closer. He climbed up the side I was on. He was not more then 20 feet from me. He started sniffing the ground. I finally decided to clear my voice. It was so funny. I went Ha-hmm! Quite loud actually. He lifted his head, looked in my direction and took off back to where he came from, only this time it was a matter of seconds to the top of the opposite hill and not the five minutes or so it took him to come down and up to where I was sitting.
I decided to move then. Figured no deer would be around there. I moved back over to where the deer stand was. I climbed up there. I got out the binoculars and took a quick look of the area. I listened to all the noises. I swear I could hear the butterflies hitting the leaves. I decided to have a cup of coffee and a little rest. I closed my eyes for just a bit.
Something startled me and I opened my eyes and looked around and listened. I heard a shuffling noise. I kept listening and looking. I finally saw a doe, not too far from me. I lifted up my rifle very slowly. Then all those things were going through my mind. Make sure it’s a deer, make sure you have a tag for a doe, look around and make sure no other orange is in the area. Whew! By that time, I was a nervous wreck. Remember, I didn’t have a scope. I eyeballed the shot and took it. I missed, but the deer still stood there. She didn’t know where the noise came from. I was up the hill from her and then up in the stand. I took another shot, and she went down. I have to admit, I almost peed my pants right then. I grabbed all my stuff and headed down to where I thought she should be. I found her right away but she wasn’t dead yet. Then it was, “where do I shoot to kill her quickly?” I finally took a shot to the head. My shot that brought her down hit her in the spine. I have heard so many stories of what you should and shouldn’t do from this point. The glands in the legs. Removal of the intestines and all the other organs. My mind was whirling. I also had quite a hill to climb with this doe and she was huge. I also remembered to make sure while pulling, I wasn’t going against the fur. It is easier to pull that way. I put the rope around the neck and started pulling up hill. Oh, my word. This doe is really heavy. I didn’t get far. Stopped, took out my hunting knife. Made a slit from the rib cage all the way down. I took out all the organs that I could see. Wrapped the rope around the does neck again and started hauling her up the hill when all of a sudden there were rifle shots that sounded so close. I hid behind a tree. At first, I thought someone might think I was a deer. The shooting stopped. I got the rope and trudged up the hill that somehow got higher then it was before! By the time I got to the barn, I was worn out. Now for the next challenge. How do I get the deer, into the back of the station wagon, by myself. This was before cell phones. There wasn’t a phone at the barn. I was on my own. Now you are going to have read this and close your eyes and envision this. I climbed into the back of the station wagon. I had the head and the front legs and just a portion of the upper body in the vehicle. I placed on foot on one side of the door frame and one foot on the other side of the door frame. I pulled with all my might. I got a little more then half of the doe in the vehicle. I moved back a little and pulled some more. I actually got the doe into the back and was able to shut the door. I gathered up all my belongings and headed down to Russell Staley’s home which was just off Hwy 100 in Chamois. He came out when I drove in. I told him I got the deer, but I had no clue what to do now. He looked at the doe in the vehicle. He asked me how I got her in there. I told him, with a little visual added and he laughed and laughed. Russel took over and got the doe and hung her in his garage. He had another great laugh when he saw that I cut her from stem to stern. I was glad I gave him a good laugh. He told me the deer would be okay hanging there until Jim could come get it.
I headed home. However, my first stop was at the fire station. I had to tell Jim that I shot a deer. At first, I didn’t think he believed me, until I told him the whole story. I also told him Russell had the deer, until we could get back there to take care of it.
I think we were able to go down the next day. I know we hung the deer for a day, skinned it. The hooves were placed in the barn and used as hooks for a long time.
Jim and I were not rich. Nor did we have a lot of extra cash. Processing fees can be high. Guess who processed part of that meat. Have you ever heard of a spine roast? My deer had one. We might have taken some meat to make burger with, but I really don’t remember. I know I cut up pieces of meat and put names on them. I had no clue what I was doing, but got it done!
This is one of those moments in your life that you will never ever forget! Maybe some of the small details but not the best parts! I hope you have enjoyed the story of my hunting experience!
By the way, a little note about the Coyote. I found out later, I could have shot the Coyote during deer season.
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