“It’s the second week of deer camp, and all the gang is here.
“We drink, play cards and shoot the bull but never shoot no deer.
“The only time we leave the place is when we go for beer…” — Da Yoopers
I never shot a deer. Never went hunting. I even lost a lot of masculinity status for being only one of three junior high boys at Croton School who didn’t take a day off for the first day of deer hunting season. All the girls laughed at me.
When friends would ask why, I’d honestly tell them I just didn’t care for shooting deer. I preferred catching fish, particularly trout. And just like most deer hunters, I ate my prey.
So I wasn’t against killing animals. Deer hunting just wasn’t my thing.
You very easily could say that my politics about hunting reveal that I am Pro-Choice, not Pro-Life. I’ll never kill a deer, but it’s absolutely none of my business if you do it legally.
I recall a book I read about 25 years ago former State Rep. Maxine Berman, who railed against the quaint, but horrible outdated practice in the State Legislature in which all lawmakers are given two weeks off for deer hunting season. I believe the male legislators just recently took a break from t heir work in Lansing for that “holiday” and walked away from a chance to come up with a negotiated settlement with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the budget. So it was more important to go deer hunting than negotiate a budget agreement, then they had the temerity to blame lack of an agreement on the governor.
I ask someone in the State Legislature to please introduce a bill to eliminate the privilege of taking two weeks off every year for deer hunting. We common everyday folks don’t get those two weeks. And I’ll bet a lot of the legislators don’t even go hunting.
Yet one of my favorite books of all time is “Deer Hunting with Jesus” by Joe Bageant. With terrific charm and with, the author implores all liberals, snowflakes and Democrats not to take away anybody’s guns, describing the family traditions with meaning in his youth.
Bageant, however, didn’t take a stand on the notorious AR-15 or other weapons of mass destruction. He essentially was talking about rifles and their use in the woods for sport and for food.
“Ain’t no pig fag legislator gonna say I can’t have guns.” — The Fugs, 1968, “Johnny Pissoff Meets the Red Angel”
I eat meat. I can’t imagine blasting away at harmless little forest creature that means me no harm, but some people find it fun, or even exciting, I suppose. I’ve eaten venison, and it was not hard to know that I prefer beef and pork from my local grocery store. But although I don’t see the appeal of hunting or deer meat, others pay for hunting licences, a sort of voluntary form of taxation.
Mr Young
It’s interesting that you use deer hunting as a reference to pro choice . Is it a fair assumption to say you are comparing a animal who is prey to the bear, wolf. Coyote, and man …. to the unborn..who have no way to escape their predator?
So our State legislatures take two weeks off in November…do you really think anything productive would happen with the Thanksgiving Holiday in that period . I think not. Although you may have more insight in this than I.
To compare the AR 15 ( which is and can be a deer rifle)… . To the AR 15 used in the military and law enforcement . Just shows the media ( which in this case is you) ignore the fact ( AR 15 ). stands for the manufacturers initials and 15 is the model ( which is also known as the “platform ” ) I doubt you do not know this …but than the paragraph would not have the same effect on the reader would it?
I will agree with you that trout fishing is a good choice if hunting is not your thing. Plus the trout season basically runs all year in Michigan ( depending on the river,stream., or lake you fish )
Harry, I think the M-16 I carried in Vietnam was manufactured by Colt Firearms, although rumor had it that the gun was made by either Mattel or Hasbro. They looked toyish compared the venerable M-14, but we came to appreciate them. I would think they would be a poor choice for deer hunting, but I know little about that kind of hunting. I have had trout fresh from the river, minutes out of the water, cooked on an open fire. That’s hard to beat.
Basura
We both know the A in AR 15 stands for the manufacturer Armalite…..and the R 15 is the model ( or platform ) , As for the M we again know the US Army Nomenclature System designates all equipment covered under that standard will have a primary letter designation of M.
Colt did manufacturer the models 603,604,645 and numerous others all are equally M16 when used by the Army.
It is not uncommon for a piece of equipment with a M designation to actually be different models form multiple manufacturers…
So goes the the US Department of Defense in identifying equipment.
Yes, it’s true a stream lunch of fresh caught trout is hard to top
Harry – I think Armalite came up with the weapon, but I think mine was manufactured by Colt – as you point to in some of those cases. Tomorrow, no trout, but we’ll be feasting on salmon. I’ll grill it outdoors, and hope I wont’ need foul weather gear.
Basura
Have a great Thanksgiving , waiting for our next debate ????????????