Life with the Lackey's: A True Montana Man

November 25th. The day we will all remember - especially the deer. November 25th was the last day of hunting season in Montana. Ross had been hunting almost 10 times throughout the season, often just going for a few hours right up the mountain where we live (Blacktail Mountain :-). One Sunday he also got to go on an all day elk hunt. Elk hunting is very different than deer hunting. With deer hunting you pick a good spot, try to be super quiet and wait for the deer to come within 300 feet. Well, with elk hunting you actually track the elk, then call them every so often, if you don't hear anything in return, you keep tracking. Ross went out with 3 other guys and they hiked around a mountain 12 miles tracking an elk. They said that the hoof prints were huge, but they didn't get to actually see any. None of the guys were too disappointed though because they spent the day out in the woods with their buddies.

But back to my original story... On Sunday, November 25, the last day of deer hunting season, Ross woke up early to go hunting one last time. He went with his friend, David Garrigan, about 3-4 miles up the mountain from where we live. We love that it is so, so close! Well, he saw a buck about 400 yards away and he fired twice. (He's a good shot with a great gun, thank you, Mike!!!) He hit the buck once right through the lungs, the bullet actually went in one side and out the other. He was ecstatic! He and David spent the morning pulling this huge buck down the side of the mountain, he had a bald spot by the time they got him to the car. Ross said he weighed at least 200 lbs (I like that is right, more if that doesn't sound like much :-). Either way, apparently he was a big buck.

Next, he brought the deer back to base and hung it in the facilities building where he learned how to skin the deer and cut all the meat off (after letting the deer hang a few days - i can't remember why. It isn't a problem to leave the deer for a few days though because it is so cold, it is like a meat locker even in the facilities building). The meat was packaged up and put in a friend's deep freeze until we get back and then we will get it all processed into steaks, ground venison, sausage... and hopefully make some more yummy venison jerky (thank you to the Wideners for introducing us to that!).

Below are some picture of the deer. WARNING: if you are queasy, don't go all the way to the bottom.