A Dear Danny deer letter…

Dear Danny Etling,

As LSU’s quarterback, I realize that nothing you do is going to make you “successful” in some folks eyes, because you don’t have an NFL rifle arm or a sleeve-ripping linebacker body, but I do realize that you are doing everything you can. I appreciate that. You prepare, you give it your best shot and you are doing pretty dad gum good in my book. You don’t get the respect you deserve in my book.

I think I know how you must feel. As a deer hunter, I realize nothing I do is going to make me as successful as some folks, because frankly, I’m not really a deer hunter. I don’t have an eagle eye or a rifle arm. I just go because I’ve been told if I don’t, I can’t live in Union Parish. But I am doing everything I can. I appreciate my efforts, even though the deer apparently don’t. So far this season, they have refused to allow me to put any of them in my freezer. I’m still waiting to give it my best shot, but my only chance so far have been with coyotes, raccoons, squirrels and a black bear or two.

I have patiently waited as all those critters have blitzed my food piles. I had found some solace, until yesterday, in the fact that I have not even heard many shots. I am trying not to start second guessing my good buddy who put me in this hunting spot, but I am thinking about putting a deer camera up at his shop to see if he is secretly laughing at me about going out over and over to this deerly beloved spot I call the Deer Ccondo. I wonder if maybe he is the one that snuck in and rubbed the bark off a few saplings and scraped back the leaves in a couple of places on the old trail leading to the Condo. I’m just sayin’ . I try and make myself feel better by thinking maybe nobody else is doing that well, either.

Then, BAM. Did I mention yesterday?

I flip through the pages of the Facebook thing and there it is. One of the area’s largest deer processors had posted a big notice that they were “CLOSED” for the day because they have TOO MANY DEER IN THEIR FREEZER.  I just don’t get the respect I deserve.

Oh, deer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I’m glad somebody is doing well. The annual Union Parish Big Buck Contest is bringing in some good entries. Remember, if you want a chance to win the $1,000 prize, you have to buy a ticket before you kill the deer, not after. Here are the leaders so far:

Cody Chandler

The new leader in the Union Parish Big Buck Contest is Cody Chandler. The ten point has bases that are 4 7/8″ each and 3 points over 10″ long. The total score for Cody’s deer is 142 4/8″.

Tony Osbond and his ten point

Tony Osbond killed a good one recently and is now in second place in the Union Parish Big Buck Contest. The ten point had bases that are 4 6/8″ and 4 5/8″, and a total of four circumference measurements over 4″ for a total score of 137 3/8″…… Tony held first place for a total of 15 minutes!

The area’s biggest Big Buck contest is also off to a fast start. The Simmons’ Sporting Goods Big Buck Contest has a lot of monster entries. The largest overall deer so far is a 186 5/8 taken on Nov. 7 in Madison Parish by Michael May.

Michael May

You can find out more on their website:

http://www.simmonssportinggoods.com/

FINAL NOTE:  Stay tuned and keep looking on those pages for my picture with a huge buck. And you may want to keep an eye in the Heisman Hopefuls list to see if Danny sneaks in there.  And if I get a video of my deer guide laughing at me, I’ll post it on here, too.