Well, there you have it. A picture that says a thousand words! Sherie, who seldom backs away from trying something new, excelled in her efforts to procure some food storage for the winter months. After canning an assortment of veggies from our bountiful harvest in the garden this year, we discussed a lack of protein available to our diet. So, 1 Elk (cow) and two whitetail deer later, we have a freezer full of steaks, ground meat, sausage (also homemade), pepperoni sticks, Jerky (5 delicious flavors- all home made), and an assortment of other meat products to balance out the food storage efforts for 2008. With the garden, the hunt and if we change our own oil, perhaps we can make it through these troubled times. You just have to love IDAHO!!!
The hunt itself was quite an effort. After several attempts in the woods with very few sightings, Sherie found a cow that was the biggest in the area taken this year. She probably weighed about 700# before processing. Of course she was taken just as the sun went down and about 150 yards straight down a hill from the road but the adrenaline rush kept us going long enough to winch her up to the Jeep, onto a trailer, hung up in a friends garage and skinned before completely falling apart.
The following day (Sunday) presented a problem... it wasn't exactly an Ox in the mire but it was, after all, an Elk in the garage!!! So Sherie, being the responsible Primary President, went to church while I, the hunting season apostate went after the Elk because the butcher could only take game between certain hours. In all the excitement, I didn't get a "Proxy Statement" signed by Sherie saying I could transport her meat so a citation I got with a future court date on which I will blog later. I'm hoping the "community property statutes of the Great State of Idaho will rescue me from a fine or perhaps the "Gee, I'm from Texas" defense. I might need some legal advice from the family legal counselor (or is it councilor, I forget).
There are more pictures of a more graphic nature depicting Sherie through the entire process of hunting and preparing the meat for those who have a stronger countenance or a morbid curiosity. E-mail me and I'll be happy to send over the unedited versions. For those who have never been through the process, it certainly provides another perspective when you sit down to a beautiful meal that includes the meat from some creture who was harvested for the purpose of our pleasure and sustencne. My hats off to Sherie, once again, for her willingness to actively participate in all aspects of the hunt.
No matter what you views on hunting or gun controls, there is something very basic about the process of procuring sustenance for yourself and family that is extremely satisfying.
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