It is a heart-stopping moment when a big, whitetail buck crashes into view. Suddenly, there he is, eyes glistening, neck bulging, crowned by an awe-inspiring rack of antlers! Such a vision can send the pulse of even the most experienced woodsman racing into overdrive. The whitetail is considered by many expert sportsmen to be the most wary and challenging game animal in existence. A mature whitetail buck is the most reclusive of all deer, possessing survival skills and instincts that have become nothing short of legendary. Indeed, an animal worthy of our respect. Each fall, whitetails are pursued by over twelve million hunters. Though several million animals are harvested annually, their population continues to grow. Unlike many game animals, the whitetail not only survives, but actually thrives in the face of intense hunting pressure - not to mention loss of habitat! We are truly blessed to share this planet with such an amazing animal.

Artist note: On the rear of the base of Morning Run, I have placed an ancient Indian arrow head. This particular artifact was found near my home in North Carolina. It is said that when a Native American hunter shot an arrow at a deer or bear and missed, the hunter would not retrieve that arrow as this was an omen that the spirit of the arrow was not as it should be. I imagine this arrow head as having been shot at a big, whitetail buck by a hunter long ago.

He missed . . .