Just a short story I wanted to share with ya'll after spending this weekend with my Girlfriends family.

Like some, I have been successful in swaying my girlfriend to understanding hunting, it's purposes, who it helps, the truths based on facts instead of the knee-jerk reaction some have based off emotion. In fact, I have persuadedher so well, that not only has she gone hunting with me (haven't gotten a rifle in her hand yet, but perhaps some day) but she will even share some of the points I've explained to her to others who have misconceptions about hunting.

Anywho, I've spent plenty of time with her family and with hunting season approaching, it didn't take long for discussions to venture into hunting. Again, these were mostly fence-sitters who opposed the idea of shooting an animal but allate meat. I've explained my reasons to them and for the most part they understand and no one seems to be bothered by it. Well, two weeks ago I got a dandy of a 5 point out of W. Va (a story will be posted when I get the pics back, he dressed at 135 which is HUGE for my standards based off of central vA). Anyways, her parents had expressed interest in trying venison as they never had and I certainly have plenty. We invited my G/F's sister and her boyfriend, she hadn't had it either, he had once before and told her it wasn't good, and told her it was gamey. We also invited her other sister who also hadn't tried it. Well, I cooked up the steaks last night and everyone LOVED it! All except the older sister, she refused to try it, even with the rest of her family telling her how good it was. Their mom finished her steak and got seconds, something, I've been told, never happens, the father got seconds, the boyfriend got seconds and cleaned both steaks as did his g/f (my g/f's sister) and neither finished their mashed potatoes and greenbeans from filling up on the steaks. They all kept saying how pleasantly surprised they were and said how good it was and tasted like really good steak. I was grinning from ear to ear! Aside from the feeling from taking from the field to the plate all by myself, but to know that I just helped broaden the hunting-accepting community by a few members. They were all adamant about trying to get the other sister to try, but some people are just too stuborn.

Anyways, I thought ya'll might like to hear about that, I love when I get past someone's reservations to show them why it is I love to hunt.

The Prep details:

The deer was shot, dressed, and skinnedon monday 11/21, it hung in 30's degree weather until wednesday. It was cut up and packed in a cooler with snow until I got home on Saturday. I cut it up making some ground, two roasts and a lot of steaks (for those that don't know, I just learned it helps ALOT if you cut opposite of the grain on the steaks, way better!) [On a side note, my G/F helped me cut all the meat up and grind it up, she kept saying "never in a million years would I have thought I would be doing this"] The steaks were marinaded Sunday morning in Italian dressing and worshire sause with some garlic salt and italian seasonings. As I grilled I basted the steaks with the marinade and served, man were they good!