I was 13 and NOT into hunting but my Dad was. He came in one night with a nice deer and told me to get out there and help. I made the remark that I did not see why he couldn't do it by himself because any idiot could clean a deer. He handed me the knife and said "Nice to meet you idiot. Call me when you are finished." Then he walked off!!! Two lessons learned. One, keep your mouth shut when you are thirteen and are trying to get out of helping clean a deer. Two, a hacksaw or hatchet works really well when you are having to cut the bones betwen the back legs. (Actually, three lessons, the gut smells really bad if you happen to cut it open ... I am pretty sure this is the reason they invented the knife with the gut hook.) We now have a you kill it you clean it rule at my house. I instituted this before I started hunting last year so I was making out like a bandit -- till now. And don't think he did not hold me to it when I killed two hogs anda deer last year. Plus the squirrells. He helped with those because they are basically a two person job because of their size unless you have a squirrell cleaner (I am thinking we will be investing in one of those this year if I kill more than him again!).

Ihelp clear trails (I have the poison ivy to prove it),set up my own ground blind(I know the size of my a** and refuse to tempt God by hanging it off a tree in something attached with straps),clear other permanent stands on our property from wasps, and help with the planting of food plots. Now if my husband offers to do it for me I am not going to turn down his help but I am too proud to let him do all the work (pride goeth before poison ivy).

I guess we all do what we have to do and if you are having to do it all for someone can they really say they are hunting?

Shannon