I subscribe to Florida Wildlife Magazine which sponsored their first essay contest. This is one of the essays that tied for first place.
Its entitled Horns, by Cherri Pearson.
Before the requirement to wear orange came into being, my uncle used his stories to drill into my head that "you don't shoot until you see the horns." What did I know? I was just a little girl; I just loved his stories. Years later, while hunting with family, dusk was approaching, but we decided to make one more try. The men walked a short way, then turned right into the woods together. My sister-in-law and I climbed on the roof of the truck. I had loaned one of the guys my shotgun and I had his 30/30. We sat on that roof scanning the area. All of a sudden my sister-in-law whispeded, " a deer, on your left." Turning slowly, I peered into the dense foliage. Then I saw it, the dwindling sunlight dancing off the tan hide silently moving along. I chambered a shell a pulled a bead on that hide, my sister whispering excitedly in my ear, "Shoot, shoot it. It's going to get away." I waited and battled with myself. I was going to lose that deer, but I just could not see the horns.
I tracked it, my finger resting on the trigger guard. holding the gun steady and on that hide. I tracked it right up until that hide stepped out into the open and turned out to be my brother-in-law wearing his brown suede jacket.
Wear your orange. Most of all thank you Uncle Terry.
Like she said brothers and sisters; WEAR YOUR ORANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Happy Thanks-Giving to all.........<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
