Crash

9: Paws off

 I had become a pro, sort of, at bow hunting. I was able to shoot rabbits straight through the eye now. I had made a simple quiver out of the long grass around the lake for my arrows. It was tube shaped and had a string connected to it, a fine quiver.

I swiped mud across my face to conceal anything an animal might pick out as abnormal. I dressed in my black and camo clothes I had left outside to get rid of my sent.

I went barefoot to minimize noise and took a rope to help haul my prize back. That is, if I get one. Today, I was going to have a different tasting lunch.

Creeping slowly through the pine trees, I made my way to the open grass area. I had to get close to a target since my bow was a bit rudimentary. I got on the very edge of the tree line and sat with my back to one. I sat very still and was prepared to wait a long time. Forty minutes later, some elk started to filter into the field in front of me. They grazed and meandered around.

I sat silently, watching for better.

My attention was caught by some mule deer coming in and out of the very edge. No big horn sheep showed themselves, but a nice mule deer looked perfect.

I started to inch closer towards them. Ducking behind bushes and trees to keep out of their range of vision, I moved practically in slow motion to avoid making a noise. I was about one hundred yards out when one picked up its head and looked at me. I froze and squinted my eyes.

It stared directly at me for a moment, then went back to eating. I breathed out slowly and decided to get closer.

My arrow would never fly that far, even with the duck feather fletching I had added. 

I got half way there and stopped, it could have been close enough but I closed in another 15 yards just to be sure. The mule deer and the elk kept themselves separate and held their distance from each other as they respected their space. 

There was about twenty elk and eight deer meandering about. I got to a vantage point where I could hide my body in a bush but lean out to shoot.

Now to pick a target. There were three males and five females. Being with my dad on every hunt I've ever been on, we always went for the big guy. The trophy. But could I afford that?

The biggest deer was a ten point, he was broad shouldered and held the title of authority.

The others were barely six points and seemed to just be tag alongs in the lead deers shadow. 

Only one of the smaller males faced me broad side. The big boy would apparently live another day. I took in a deep breath and slowly drew my bow, crouching low to the ground.

Alright Lyra, bring home the bacon.

Quickly aiming just behind his front leg before he moved, I breathed out and released my arrow simultaneously. The deer grunted and bucked, making his group scatter erratically. I had hit him, but where. 

He stumbled and took off as fast as he could, startling the elk. If I ran out to chase him now, I'd get caught in a stampede. I contained my excitement, bouncing in the weeds as I hoped and prayed. 

I watched him bound and stumble into the trees wobbly. I waited until the elk had gone and sprinted to where I last saw the deer.

Where is it, where is it?

I started tracking the blood spatters hurriedly, afraid something bigger would take my prize.

I was excited as hell since I had just taken my first big kill out here. I didn't miss or anything which surprised me, since I was half shaking and shot with a stick for a bow.

I stepped into a thick puddle of warm blood, ugh. Then, there it was. Crashed into a bush up against a tree. It was lifeless. I didn't get a heart shot but I think I hit the lungs considering the blood was dribbling out of its mouth.

Flicking out my knife, I bent down to field dress it. I really didn't want to leave the organs here to attract any predators but I'd worry about that later.

Slitting its belly cavity carefully, I pulled, cut, and tugged the insides away. Call me crazy, but I saved the heart and the liver for major protein. What I knew I wouldn't eat, I threw as far as I could. 

Alright, this was a heavy deer and I knew it already. It was time to pray I had the strength to get back to my valley. 

I wrapped the rope around the front legs, the neck and his antlers. Then I began tugging my haul towards home.

At first, my efforts took me no where. Then, the deer started to move with me after a few steps steadily. I was sweating hard and was just about out of breath by the time I reached the crack. With a big tug, I pulled the carcass into my territory.

C'mon, nearly there, I encouraged myself.

This deer was seriously starting to slow me down. None the less, I was happy. Ecstatic I brought one down and even happier it wasn't rabbit or fish tonight. As I neared my cave, I could here Baine get up and start scratching at the door.

Letting the deer flop to the ground so I could clean it more, I opened the door and let Baine out. He raced out and immediately began to sniff the deer.

"Hey, paws off mister. Gotta cook it first," I chuckled, shooing him away with my hands. He sat in the door of the cave and watched me.

"Tree, tree, tree," I muttered to myself, looking for the prefect tree to string the deer up in.

One oak had a branch that stood away from the rest like a shelf. Ipulled the deer over to it and flung the rope over the thick branch.

I cut slits in the back leg tendons near the hooves and stuck a stout stick into them for a holding bar. Then I tied the rope at both ends.

Now the really hard part. With all my might, I started to hoist the deer into the air.

"Oh my god," I gasped and put all my weight into it.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," I growled and heaved, struggling. The rope stung my hands as it strained against them.

The deers nose was about a foot off the ground when I called it good enough and wrapped the rope around the tree trunk.

Now we're getting somewhere, I grinned. I started to peel and cut the skin away from the bones and muscle.

This guy was freaking lean. I'd have to stew some of his meat to make it tender enough to be enjoyable. When the skin was off, I set it in the sun. Then I went back and began to cut away the meat.

Back strap, the thighs, fatty belly meat, everything that looked delicious to me. Ribs were yummy too. The hunks of fat I didn't keep to cook with, I threw to Baine. He happily disposed of it quickly. 

After about two hours or so of this, I had what meat was good and what I needed. I grinned and looked at Baine, who wagged his tail at me.

Just for a trophy, I hacked off the antlers to keep, along with some ribs, the leg bones for Baine, sinew, and that was about it. I could tan the skin and use it as well.

"Yes!" I squealed and lowered the much lighter carcass to the ground.

Quickly as I could, I drug it quite a ways away from my camp. I had a paranoia of something bigger than me finding out I live here.

I was immensely relived when I sat down to cook some meat. While it rolled and simmered in my pot with some rabbit chunks, fat, and berries, I took a large stone and flattened the majority of the meat to dry and smoke. 

It was my only way to preserve it. For extra taste, I added some berries to mash into it as well. Then I hung the meat in the smoker. At the end of my day, I washed the blood from my hands and dug into a delicious meal along with my wolf, who had his own share.

Perfect.