December 8, 2012 Deer In The Headlights

I came upon a DNR truck parked on the grass along my walk with Boofa down a busy street in town.

The DNR agent and a man in an avocado green T-shirt walked out of the bushes.  "I am surprised to see DNR in town", I said.

"If there are deer issues", the agent said.

"My girlfriend hit a deer last night and we found him dead back there", said the avocado shirted man.

The beautiful White Tailed Deer (a member of the cervid family which includes elk, moose and mule deer) has been here for eight to twelve million years.  Native Americans used fire to create habitats suitable for them out of the hardwood forests.  Today there are 750,000 deer in South Carolina due to conservation programs and other factors (which includes storms like Hugo flattening the forests), even though in the 1950's there were almost no deer at all in the Piedmont and the mountains. The population of people in South Carolina is 4,679,234, making that one deer for every 6 people.

I have deer whistles under the front fender of my car.  The wind blows through them as you drive and creates a high whistle only the deer can hear.  Once last year, out in the country, I hit a dog who was running straight at me in the middle of the road.  He ran into the forest.  Simon, riding with me the next day said,

"I guess deer whistles don't work on dogs".

Today, the houses have their Christmas decorations out, gleaming in the bright warm weather, almost like spring.  Here and there, there are even pink crab apples and ornamental trees blooming in sheltered places,

confused by the warm weather.

Here is a recipe from the 1977 Jr. League of Jackson, MS cookbook, Southern Sideboards:

Barbecued Venison Steaks with MULE JAIL Barbecue Sauce:

Venison hindquarter
Lawry's unseasoned tenderizer (optional)
Pepper
MULE JAIL BARBECUE SAUCE:
1 pound butter
2 cups water
1  5 oz bottle of Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 6 lemons (reserve rinds of 3)
2 onions, quartered
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Slice hindquarter across the grain into steaks 1/2 in thick.  Trim all fat and gristle.  Tenderize and lightly pepper each side at this point, if desired.  Make MULE JAIL BARBECUE SAUCE by melting butter in saucepan.   Add remaining ingredients, including lemon rinds, and bring to a boil.  Turn off heat immediately. Cook steaks over charcoal grill, with hickory chips added, basting with sauce.  Steaks should be cooked medium to medium well in order to be juicy and tender.  Cooked well, done, they will be tough.  Sauce is also good spread on toasted bread.
attributed to:  Mrs. Lewis L. Culley, Jr.