Lacey's blog: "Life on the lake"

The shots rang out in the quiet night air sending shivers down my spine.

I knew it was coming.

For weeks now I had seen the ads for hunting equipment, guns and camouflage, for deer and moose urine for bait. 

I saw them coming last weekend on their ATV's, guns strapped across the bars.

I knew that sooner or later I would hear them shooting.

I just wasn't prepared for it to be now. Tonight.

As I sit here alone watching TV, hubby away on business and the dog in a coma in front of the fireplace, there is a life and death struggle being played out  just outside my front door.

I duck when I hear the shots, half expecting them to come ripping through the window.

My heart stops, wondering if the hunter or the prey won.

Hoping against hope it was the prey and they got away.

Wondering if that animal came running onto my property, would the hunter follow and shoot, caught up in the thrill of the chase? Or would his common sense take control and he would move off, letting it go and looking for another chance at his trophy.

I have never heard gunfire before, except on television, and I was not prepared for how loud and harsh it sounded. How final.

I am a carnivore, I eat meat, usually daily.

Yet, somehow, hunting just seems barbaric to me.

The deer and moose are so majestic and it seems almost criminal to hunt them down.

The people here hunt them for food, not just for sport. So that is a good thing, I suppose.

And there is always the bonding that takes place as sons and fathers hunt together. That is a good thing too.

I sigh as I realize that hunting is part of the Great Canadian lifestyle up here in Northern Ontario, and it is a part of this culture that I need to accept.

I just can't get the image of Bambi out of my head  .

That movie has haunted me my whole life.

Gotta love Disney !

I wander off to bed muttering... " I will adjust, I will adjust" and another shot rings out.

When will I adjust is the question....