Okay…I won’t get into a total recap of my deer season(s), I’ll just summarize by saying that I have yet to tag anything. Passed on small bucks and does/fawns early season, had a bust for a rifle season, and haven’t had a decent opportunity late season.
I have elk in the freezer and some venison from a buddy – so the family is fairly set as far as meat is concerned. But I have another need that is yet to be met.
Each year, I’ve saved a front leg (knee down to hoof) of a deer…I hide it on top of the shed with a small twig wedged between the hooves. On Christmas Eve, I retrieve it – take the twig out – and use it to make “reindeer” tracks all over the snow on our deck. The scene is completed with a couple of “sled marks” from a scrap 2×4. My boot prints are simply passed off as Santa’s. I even take the carrots that The Men (now ages 9 & 12) put out with the milk and cookies and chew on them; littering them in the snow amongst the tracks.
It creates a pretty neat visual.
So then. Back to my sorry season this year…I have no hoof. I tested the waters with my 9 year-old the other night and he still believes in Santa. “Of course he’s real, Dad, I’ve seen the tracks in the snow!”
I’m growing desperate…sitting the stand every chance I can, yet nothing seems to be happening. May have to resort to lopping off the leg of a road kill…hmph.
Though maybe I should talk to Ms. Clause… 
