he was like , ‘ Well , good luck ,’ and now I go by myself ,” she laughs .
She grew up in a family of hunters , but said hers was a “ conservative ” family where she stayed at home while her dad and brother went out .
“ I would have to stay behind and stay with mom and do the girly things ,” she said . “ That ’ s probably one of the main reasons why I like going now and getting a successful hunt , because you can be a woman and hunt too . You can be a woman and bring food home back to your family . It doesn ’ t have to be a gender role .”
It ’ s true that hunting can be a “ hurry up and wait ” kind of activity . In a typical day , Purvis said she can be outside for hours . Sometimes she starts before sunrise , but some days she said she gets to her hunting site around 1:30 or 2 p . m .
“ Yesterday I hunted for nine hours straight . I got out there when the sun
came up and left when the sun when down . It ’ s warm during the day , but definitely at sunrise and sunset it gets a little cold ,” she said .
She has used both a blind and a tree stand , she said . If it ’ s a good hunting spot , the couple will leave the tree stand up year round and not move it .
“ If I ’ m in a blind , I will take a nap . There ’ s certain hours that they ( the deer ) are more likely to move around , and in that down time I will catch a nap ,” she said , laughing .
She said she usually uses a blind , while her husband will use a tree stand .
“ I get the blind situated , and then really it ’ s just a waiting game until it starts getting closer to dark . ... I like to read when I ’ m out there . And it ’ s really just a calm , reflecting time by yourself . It ’ s a really peaceful feeling you get , sitting out in the woods by yourself hunting . It just gives you a lot of time to count your blessings and look at the scenery .”
Getting a kill is an adrenaline rush and gives her a feeling of success , she said .
When she does nab a deer , the couple usually take it to their own walkin cooler at their home .
“ We let it hang and dry . Then we usually let it set in there for a while so we can take our sweet time processing the meat .
She said that due to her health problems – having acquired Alpha- GAL syndrome from a tick bite , which makes her allergic to beef – the family eats venison year-round as a substitute . They tend to keep four to six steaks from each deer , then grind the rest into hamburger , make summer sausage or jerky .
“ I like to make meatloaf with venison instead of beef , because if you make a meatloaf ( with beef ) it ’ s really greasy . You don ’ t have that with deer meat .
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30 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky December 2022