The Reluctant Deer Hunter
By Charles P. Eberson
Senior Moments
A Senior’s Observations, Opinions and Rantings
This weekend my brother-in-law and I are “sighting in” his hunting rifles. Simply put, sighting in is the process of adjusting the scope on the rifle to make sure the bullet hits the intended target. Why am I doing this? He asked me if I want to go deer hunting with him. Say what you will, but I have never been a fan of hunting in general let alone me doing the hunting. I did not grow up in a hunting environment. I grew up in a beach environment with swimming, surfing and fishing. None of my friends hunted nor did any of their parents but I understand it is a ritual that is deeply cherished in many families and the experience is passed on through generations. These are the hunters who do so to feed their families. What abhor is those hunters who do so simply for a trophy. I am an animal lover. I have had pets for my entire adult life until just recently and the thought of killing an animal for any reason is foreign to me however, the thought did cross my mind when a squirrel found its way into our attic and made a nest out of a sports jacket I had custom made in London years ago. I looked at the squirrel and he looked at me as if to say, “Yeah, what you gonna do?” If I had something that wouldn’t have gone through the roof if I fired, I might have done so but instead I bought a live trap, trapped him and set him free far away from my home. So, the thought of me taking down a deer gives me great pause. The conundrum is that I do eat meat; I just have other people dispatch the animals in mass quantities for me and everyone else who picks their meat up in tidy plastic packages without giving much thought as to how it came to land on their dinner plate. Hunters tell me that areas are now so over populated with deer that they are invading yards 
and are a hazard to drivers. I have also heard first hand from my hunter friends that they have found deer that have starved because there has not been enough food to support the population. I can appreciate that argument but what I struggle with is me deciding which animal to put down? Let Mother Nature take its course. I am no Ted Nugent. With all that being said, I have agreed to go. Although one can count on the unpredictability of weather in the mountains, the likelihood of it being very cold is high so I have collected as much cold weather gear as I can. I also purchased the requisite neon orange vest and hat in hopes Dick Cheney is not nearby and these items will prevent me from being mistaken for a deer. The trip will entail a four hour drive up into the mountains of Pennsylvania where the cabin is located and then the next morning either a hike or 4×4 ride to the blind my brother-in- law and his son built. Then, we lie in wait for an unsuspecting buck to wander into view. For me, the good news may be that the buck will present itself for an easy shot; the bad news is that the buck will present itself for an easy shot. Then I will have to decide whether to pick up the rifle or the camera.
Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson.fineartamerica.com
