I hit a deer, hard. Smashed it, with legs flying in all different directions. The grill of my jeep is crushed and it was a sad/beautiful reminder of when TJ and I hit a deer. He put his hand across me as a mother does to a child to keep them safe. We were in high school, and he was so mad that he hit a deer. I was traumatized and very sad for hurting innocent Bambi.
Deer and I actually have a very respectful relationship, like the time TJ invited me to go hunting with him. He said there would be Reese’s in the deer stand and I’m a sucker for Reese’s so I agreed to wake up at 4:00 am, stuff my jacket pockets with Reese’s and hike into the woods with him to go deer hunting.
As soon as we sat down in our very exposed deer stand, I began unwrapping my first Reese’s, at 5:10 am.
“Shhh,” he said. You’re being too loud.”
“You said I could have Reese’s if I came with you,” I said, annoyed.
“Em, it’s 5 in the morning.”
And then, just a few minutes later, we heard delicate crunches. It was a doe, walking so intently and with grace. It was alert and very aware of its surroundings, lifting its head and scanning the brown-leaf forest floor. It came walking closer, and TJ stood up in the stand with his gun.
Then it dawned on me. This wasn’t about eating Reese’s in the wild, he was about to kill this innocent deer!
I stood up, kid you not, and started yelling, “BAMBI RUN!!!”
The deer dug its hooves into the cool earth and sprinted away as fast as it could. Gone. The deer was gone, and now it was just TJ and I again in this deer stand with these Reese’s.
“Why did you do that??” He said in quiet frustration.
“You were going to KILL it!!!”
“Why do you think we’re out here…?”
“To eat Reese's!”
Unfortunately, the deer that found itself in contact with my Jeep is no longer with us. I was, just like TJ, very disappointed. I should have been driving slower and not so captivated by the glowing moon or just paying more attention. I was angry at myself for being in the situation in the first place. However, in my defense, it was very dark outside and the deer literally sprinted in front of my car. Poor thing.
Growing up in a family of hunters, I felt like I should gut the thing and take it home for fresh deer meat, but that's not what I did. I bet if I drove back there this morning, it would be gone-- taken home to some home that will harvest the meat.
Has anyone else hit a deer? I feel so Minnesotan.
I'm going to go eat some Reese's now.
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