The hunt?

This is what I believe; that all aspects of this farm should live in harmony together. Even the deer who has taken a liking for Armenian cucumbers. Said deer has also helped themselves to my melons and corn but I personally thought the melons were terrible so I didn’t feel so bad about sharing, and the corn wasn’t in good shape to sell. The deer were only on the far end of the 300 X600 plot, just eating on the outskirts barely where they could be noticed at all. But the last several weeks they have gotten bolder and are now on the south side where most of the traffic and human activity is. I’ve noticed their hoof prints in the soft soil, but I’ve never seen them.

I have nothing against deer and I can continue to live side by side with these beautiful creatures, but I was wondering if venison in the freezer would be a good thing this winter? If I truly am to “live of the land” should I attempt to hunt? I’ve never hunted, not to say I’ve have no experience with guns because that I do. But I’ve never shot nor dressed a deer. I’m going to really have to give this some thought. I eat meat. I raise lambs for meat. But I don’t do this thoughtlessly; there is great intention and a mindful process behind it. I have vegetarian friends that do not see my way, but I respect their view and their intentional eating as thankfully they do mine.

But this is a real moral dilemma for me. See at my core I am a chef so I look at things like this as not only nourishing me but also an opportunity for a creative way to use it. I love venison Sausage and smoked venison tenderloin. So if you have any thoughts please add your 2 cents. But I’m really going to think about it seriously. Winter is coming and I don’t know much about this whole population thing yet but the argument for it, is not enough to eat or forage during the winter and it’s cruel to let them starve?????