# Should I be mad at the old guy, the kid, her parents, or the columnist? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 14, 2002, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650 "2002-11-14T00:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blivit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Blivit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blivit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/21 "2002-11-14T03:24:41Z")
1. Take the old guys gun. Doesn’t sound like he was hunting. just shooting. 2. Yeah wear your orange during hunting season. 3. You don’t have to be mad with anyone. 4. White deer are more common than you think. Albinos and Fallos deer. fallows? phallos? something like that. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/22 "2002-11-14T05:07:33Z")
As far as white deer go, I don’t know about where the story took place, but in Michigan it’s illegal to hunt albino deer. ---
**Author:** ![Humble\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/47e85d/32.png) [@Humble\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Humble_Servant)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/23 "2002-11-14T17:07:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > **Who has ever heard of a white deer?** Oooh **Guin** , I thought you were a romantic at heart. The White Stag or the White Hart figures in a whole bunch of medieval legends. It has serious symbolic and religious baggage. I’m most familiar with the Arthur stories, and I can think of two appearances off the top of my head. First, a white stag, pursued by a strange lady with a white hunting dog, plows through Arthur’s wedding feast, disrupting marital bliss and generally pissing everyone off. The white lady is in turn pursued by a black knight. Merlin insists that someone rescue her. It turns out that she is the sorceress Nimue who imprisons Merlin for a long time. In another Arthur story, the knight who kills the White Stag gets to kiss the lady of his choice. Another bit I heard somewhere was that if you follow a White Stag, he will always lead you west (symbolic of Avalon). The White Stag always seemed to lead the noblest pursuer away from his companions, whereupon he became lost in an unknown forest where magical things were likely to happen. Also, the White Stag was at some point a Celtic god (so slaying him was a blow for Christianity), but being white (like a lamb) also got it conflated with Christ himself. St. Patrick was supposed to have turned into a White Stag in another story. (And I just remembered that Harry Potter’s father transforms into a white stag–interesting.) Anyway, while white deer and “Princess” stories may make for good daydreams, they don’t excuse ol’ chairhunter. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/24 "2002-11-14T17:24:33Z")
It happened in Traverse County, MN. Or if it didn’t, the Traverse County Sheriff sounds like a publicity hound. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/25 "2002-11-14T18:01:49Z")
It’s the old guy’s fault, pure and simple. If you don’t know what you’re shooting at you don’t pull the trigger. He could have killed that little girl. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/26 "2002-11-14T18:28:21Z")
I always will remember, ‘Twas a year ago November, I went out to hunt some deer On a mornin’ bright and clear. I went and shot the maximum the game laws would allow, Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a cow. … The law was very firm, it Took away my permit, The worst punishment I ever endured. It turned out there was a reason, Cows were out of season, And one of the hunters wasn’t insured. People ask me how I do it, And I say, “There’s nothin’ to it, You just stand there lookin’ cute, And when something moves, you shoot!” And there’s ten stuffed heads in my trophy room right now, Two game wardens, seven hunters, and a pure-bred Guernsey cow. Honestly, when reality outdoes Tom Lehrer, it’s time to lock up Grandpa’s guns. Or, for that matter, Grandpa himself. Why isn’t he defending his sorry ass in a court of law ? ---
**Author:** ![racekarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6bbea6/32.png) [@racekarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racekarl)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/27 "2002-11-14T18:51:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Who the hell hunts from a chair on his porch? No where does the article say the guy was on his porch, just that he was in a chair. The chair could have been one of those tree chairs, or in a hunting blind, but it never says it was on his porch… ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/28 "2002-11-14T18:54:38Z")
Yep, sounds like it’s time for Gramps to give up the gun. I wonder how many toes the guy has left, anyways. I know that white deer exist in myth and legend-but I didn’t know they existed in real life. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/29 "2002-11-14T19:22:05Z")
[Hey, **Spiny Norman**. a word to the wise.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=120313) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/30 "2002-11-14T19:59:08Z")
Two deer hunters are driving around looking for a good place to hunt. they’re driving around in the sticks and they come to a nearly hidden dirt road. They turn down the road and eventually find themselves in the middle of a remote wooded area that looks beautiful. They see a large buck some distance into the trees and the decide they have to go in there. The problem is that there are posted signs along the road proclaiming the woods to be private property. They continue to follow the road until it peters out at a small farm. They see a few cows in a clearing and an old horse standing tethered to tree. They stop in front of a dilapidated house. One guy says, “I’ve got an idea, I’ll go knock on the door and talk to the property owner. Maybe if we slip him a few bucks he’ll let us hunt in his woods for a day.” So the guy walks up to the house and knocks on th door. An old farmer answers, and the hunter says hello, and makes his proposition. The farmer listens and nods his head and then says, “I’ll tell you what, I don’t need any money, but did you see that old nag when you drove up here? Well that’s my old Nelly and she’s sick and blind and half lame now. The last year of her life has been a misery. I made up my mind to put her down, and I tied her up out there, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. If you boys could put her out of her misery for me, I’d let you hunt on my land for free.” “Well sure,” says the hunter, “that sounds like a square deal to me.” So the hunter starts back to the car, and as he’s walking he decides to play a joke on his friend. So he begins to curse and spit and acts really pissed off when he gets in the car. “That old coot,” he says, “I’m gonna get him good.” “What are you talking about?” says the friend. “That old sumbitch wouldn’t let us hunt for any amount of money. He threatened to call the sheriff on us if we don’t get out of here pronto. I’m gonna show that old bastard.” He grabs his rifle and aims out the window at the horse. BLAMMO the horse goes down. Suddenly he hears two more rifle shots ring out from the other side of the car “I got two of his cows,” says the friend, “let’s get the fuck out of here.” ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/31 "2002-11-15T04:07:56Z")
Well **I** thought it was funny. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/32 "2002-11-15T04:29:02Z")
There was a deer in Deer Park at Soldier’s Home in Quincy, Illinois that every year gave birth to a white fawn. One year, some asshole shot her with a bow and arrow. There are white deer; they are not common. Their herds do not need to be thinned. Anyone who shoots them ought to be ashamed of himself and be reviled by others. As for the OP, idiots that shoot without being sure of what they are shooting at are not hunters. They are criminals and should be prosecuted. Hunters have a duty to make clean kills and if they manage to injure an animal rather than kill it they have a duty to track it and finish it off, and not leave it to die in agony. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/33 "2002-11-15T05:29:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lno \* > \*\*I read that too, and I was alternately shocked and amused. > > The horse in question is white. The 89-year-old man was hunting from a chair. The thought that ran through my mind was “Yup, I done shot me an albino deer, but then the antlers got off and ran to get their pa!” \*\* That’s pretty good lno! ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/34 "2002-11-15T13:04:49Z")
Hunters in Minnesota have started a fund to by the girl a new horse. [Article](http://www.startribune.com/stories/533/3432773.html) Dennis Anderson is the outdoor columnest for the Mpls paper, generally a good, stand-up kind of writer. Regardless of the good intentions of MN hunters, I do thing the 89 year old gentleman should be brought up on charges. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/35 "2002-11-15T20:02:47Z")
I don’t know how many white deer there are on earth or what their ranges are but **HOW MANY DEER HAVE LITTLE GIRLS RIDING THEM?** Now the big question is can or will someone take this old coots guns away? (or at least his ammo) ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/36 "2003-01-31T22:02:46Z")
Sorry about the bump, but there’s a happy ending to the story – the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is [providing a $6,000 check](http://www.startribune.com/stories/533/3624333.html) to Lindsey Duffel. > [@](#): > > But Johnson and I also believe, and obviously so do the donators, that, if nothing else, Lindsey, as she grows older, will realize that people who contributed to the fund – most of them hunters – wanted to do what they could to make a bad situation better. > > “Whether she uses the money to buy another horse, as was the original idea, or whether she, with her parents, decides to save it for college, that’s up to the Duffields,” Johnson said, adding: > > “After the man who did the shooting pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay restitution, we heard from many of the people who had donated to the fund. They said they still wanted the money to go to Lindsey. That’s what we’re doing.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/37 "2003-01-31T23:24:49Z")
cost of a new horse \<= $6,000 loss of a family horse \>priceless ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/38 "2003-02-01T00:05:41Z")
Did you read the link, **yojimboguy**? The family horse is not dead, and horse owners across the country have offered the family a new horse free of charge. Are you trying to say that this spontaneous outpouring of support is meaningless? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/39 "2003-02-01T00:17:05Z")
Sorry, I contributed the the OP some time ago, and the prospect for the horse in the OPs link (not now working) were grim. To me, the good news from a bump would have been that the horse was doing well. The quoted portion was only about money. I didn’t follow the link in the bump to look for other good news about the horse, but as I see its “usefulness” is still in doubt, so is its survival. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650/40 "2003-02-01T13:21:04Z")
You want to really get mad? Some asshole has been taking potshots at horses in Alberta. Multiple horses. Several have already been shot and two have died. No cite (I heard it on the radio the other morning) but if someone could find one I’ll be grateful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-mad-at-the-old-guy-the-kid-her-parents-or-the-columnist/136650.md?page=3)