By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Mess left for hunter's wife is dangerous and disgusting
Placeholder Image
DEAR ABBY: The letter from "Kay in St. Joseph, Mo." (Jan. 10) caught my attention. She's the woman whose husband (a hunter) leaves bloody footprints and pieces of deer carcass throughout their house and his soiled clothes piled in the kitchen.
    I am a female bow hunter. If my hunting buddies (all of whom are male) came into my house and made a mess like Kay's husband does, I would shoot THEM.
    There's a reason why the annual "great hunt" is always at her house. None of the other hunters' families would put up with their disrespect. I can't even imagine how hard it would be to remove week-old animal blood from a carpet.
    History repeats itself, and inconsiderate people don't change on their own. "Kay" needs to stand up for herself and refuse to tolerate their behavior any longer. -- J.J. IN FORT WAYNE, IND.
    DEAR J.J.: I couldn't agree more. However, because the balance of power in her family does not appear to be in her favor, I thought she'd have better luck if she let her husband wallow in the mess he and his brothers had created while she vacated the premises — and let him get a professional cleaning crew in there if the chore was more than he could handle. That is, until I heard from more of my readers:
    DEAR ABBY: I have hunted for almost 40 years and have always processed my own meat — from squirrel to deer. Most hunters keep the work area clean so the meat won't be contaminated. I have seen a few hunters like Kay's husband, and simply put, they are lazy. Their meat is filled with hair and dirt, and could be spoiled as well.
    I do all my meat processing in my clean garage, then bring it down to the basement to wrap before storing it in the freezer. I hose down any blood residue, and all scraps are thrown in the trash can as I work. Kay needs to put her foot down and kick them out of the house. -- LARRY IN BRADFORD, PA.
    DEAR ABBY: I'm not sure how intellectual those folks are, but there could be grave consequences because of their behavior. Most wild game carry a variety of bacteria, some strains of which are rumored to have infected North American deer herds with mad-cow disease.
    When wild game is cleaned, precautions should be taken to disinfect the animal and the work area. Some folks go so far as to field-clean an animal and wash it down with a bleach solution as soon as it's taken. Surgical gloves are worn, and when everything is done, the people cleanse themselves and their gear immediately! -- ROBERT IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLA.
    DEAR ABBY: I raised five boys, who with their father loved to go fishing. I told them I'd cook and serve anything I found in the kitchen. It took only one meal of fried fish, innards and all, for them to get the message. -- VICKY IN SONORA, CALIF.
    DEAR ABBY: My son used to work in a butcher shop that processed deer every year. When the deer came in, all the other meat that was sold had to be moved out.
    If meat isn't handled correctly or becomes tainted and makes someone ill, Kay's husband and brothers-in-law could be in serious trouble. It may be time for her to contact the local health department. Because her husband is being paid to "process" food, I'm sure he's violating more than a few laws — and the fines he could be subject to could cost him "deerly"! -- KEITH IN OHIO
Sign up for the Herald's free e-newsletter