Dont know if i can do this!

I know I have spoke my mind...and I know I have ruffled some feathers.....I am who I am and I can't change....what ever I have said... was how I have felt and if it didn't agree with your thoughts I am sorry.......but ...was just giving my opinion.....like it or not....It is what it is!....I have always considered myself a strong person mentally.......BUT recently I have been dealing with my deer dying for no good reason....and I mean alive in the morning and dead that evening..........perfectly healthy ....good weight....good looks.....nothing a wrong with them....just dead.........I know EHD.........am I going to be in trouble financially because of this ...NO......God will see me through it with out a doubt......there is a reason for it but I just have not come to grips with it yet.....But I have to say....I am not sure I can handle it alone.................but I know I won't.....God will see me through........it won't be easy......as I am witnessing now......but what I do know is.......on the other side of this suffering is a beautiful promise ...a promise like no other..........a promise from our one and only God.....and he came in the form of Jesus!.....

ok...ok....just hear me for a second......here I am feeling sorry for my deer suffering for nothing......a simple midge fly.......WOW......think about it .....number one...not MY deer ...they are HIS...second .......what about HIS (

GOD 'S) Son Jesus who Suffered for nothing but US.......We were/are the

midge fly........simple people...sinners who deserve nothing from him....we are

worthless...as worthless as a midge fly.......BUT YET HE...JESUS......found good

in US.....he didn't need to........But he did......BUT HE DID.....think about it

folks.........anyhow...as I buried a perfectly healthy yearling tonight...And I

started to feel sorry for myself.....my thoughts were quickly consumed with

what I just talked about above.....and suddenly my sacrifice tonight didn't

seem to overwhelming after all!!.....God Bless everyone....and may God freeze

all these stinking Midge flies very soon after all!! Just remember He who

sacrificed it ALL.....for ALL of Us!! Who certianly didn't deserve it!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Hang in with me Dennis. I know and understand some of

What you say and feel. I still do not understand this ehd can hit

So hard and So fast. Wish I could do something.

Dennis I feel your loss, it has hit us also, It is better to have them die quick then to have them linger on and you pour tons on money in meds in them trying to save them and they still die a horrible death.

Prayers coming your way!!

Dennis, I know how you feel about healthy looking animal one day and dead the next. I have spent so much money on drug's to save what I could of my deer. For me it was money that needed to be used in other places but I had no choice but to try to save all of the animal's that I could. It has seemed to have slowed down here now. I only have one that is still sick and I think she will make it. So far I have lost the 3 best or at least most expensive doe's that I had and there fawn's, the best buck I had and a few other's that I can live without. Have a friend that lost all that he had but a few fawn's.

Dennis , I've never experienced EHD but I have lost deer and I hear ya ! It really hurts emotionaly to loose these critters we but our hearts and souls into ! Hang in there and better times are coming ! Hopefully colder weather should put an end to EHD at least for this season . I can only imagine what it must be like dealing with something that nasty, I take my hat off to all you guys that fight through such things ! Just a thought .

Thanks Folks.......I know there are a lot out there suffering through this wicked disease with their Whitetails as well.......and I wish them all God's Blessings......I pray for a frost very soon.......thanks again for the support!!

Well said Dennis!!!! AMEN and AMEN!!!!

I know your pain as I have buried close to 40 deer in just 21 days, spent way to much money and was only able to save a handful. I figured I was being punished or something but then I remembered that these trials were only testing my faith and I would come out stronger for it. He will not give us more than we can handle. If I end up with any left perhaps they will be the begining of a stronger and possibly hardier herd. I know my future pairings will not only include width and points but genes of deer that have superior traits for survival. Rick

Dennis, I don't know how many deer you have lost................But I can tell you shouldn't start feeling sorry for yourself..................Because if you have ANY left you are LUCKY!



You know what they say "When you feel like you have it bad...............You usally don't have to look far to find someone who has it alot worse than you"



Best of luck to everyone loosing deer!

Wyane,

Appreciate your advice and I can assure you I for a brief moment started feeling sorry for myself...but as I stated in my first post....it was quickly snuffed out by my revelation of Christ and what he has done for me and All of us for that matter......it is not a matter of who lost the most.......losing one to this terrible disease is way to many........trust me I can't imagine what people like Rick are going through losing those kinds of numbers......nor do I ever want to......Blessings to all and again...as much as I hate winter....let's all keep praying for that first frost!!

So the fawns of the mother died too? Whitetail Sanctuary you may be on to something about it running in families.

I just can't imagine. I pray for peace for all losing so many. It is a shame we can't find a cure. It is an awful death. I'm sorry to all. We lost one tonight. One of my favorites :-( I couldn't be there, I will still look for her in the pen...not sure if EHD or not but it is so painful.

Dennis,



Had the Gift to spend time this week with one of our Wounded Warriors from the start to the end of his hunt this upbeat man in wheel chair was so uplifting I had to ask the question. How do you do it ? You are so happy your handicap is not disabling your spirt? Chuck said after his helicopter went down and lost 5 of his friends and his ability ability to walk I am thankful to be alive with my wife and new born son. (Don't sweat the big stuff) Dennis thank you for being a light with your staff of faith.



Peace be with you

Dennis - I hear and appreciate your heart, and know where you're coming from.



It's all about perspective, and when we put Jesus where He should be...He blocks out everything that we would otherwise deem as important...and replaces torment with His peace.



I've raised deer for 16 years...targeted making money on them for 12 years.

Although I never got rich, I feel I've hit the spiritual lottery with all the valuable lessons and manifestations of God in and through my involvement with the deer business. And for that reason, I could and will never regret getting involved raising deer.



This EHD thing, of which I've never experienced, has to be beyond description when it comes to ripping one's heart out...watching it crush all your hopes, dreams, the high expectations, that through your blood, sweat, and tears you've set out to accomplish.

But if we let it wreck us and put us in a bad way, then we've allowed ourselves to put too much of ourself ''there''. Focusing on HIM is the answer.



EHD is running rampant with the wild herd as well. I talked with a guy from central Illinois nearly 2 months ago, and they were finding alot of dead deer along a stretch of a small river/creek then.

And I talked to a friend/client from southwest Michigan(south of Holland) and they found 14 dead deer in a 5 mile stretch of river just yesterday and the day before.



Glad to know that you know Dennis how to rise above your circumstances...it is the key to being content with little...or alot, with abundance, or lack.



Hope the best for all! Frost predicted here for Saturday night!

Good Luck & Good Health To All

Great post for the Heart & Soul

God Bless

Dennis Thank you for this post, you are willing to praise the Lord on a public forum, Something that seems to get many knocked down now-a-days for being christians, May the Lord Bless you (and everyone dealing with EHD) and may you come out of it a stronger and more spiritually blessed person. Mark I love your post....I agree 100%....I have not made any money and maybe never will...but I have learned alot from being in the deer buisness and have met some of the most faithful and kind hearted people I know (and made lifelong friends) just because of this buisness, and that is priceless. I am not sticken with EHD as of yet, but if I am I hope i can take your approach, Dennis, and not beat myself up over something that is in Gods will for my life and is beyond my contol.

antershed.....now that my friend is what keeps me going in this industry....not greed....not dishonesty.........not looking to pad my own pocket book.....it,s about what God the All Mighty Father has given us with these beautiful Whitetails..........HE is in control NOT me and I need to except that.......I am responsible for the animals he has trusted me with....however, they are his...AND he is IN CONTROL!! He has the plan.......until we humble ourselves...and actually give ALL control to HIM who has created everything....we will always struggle to understand.......I'm working on what I preach....it's not easy...BUT...the more I get better at it the better it GETS!!....I'm SERIOUS!!......God Bless!!

Dennis, When you are talking about our LORD you will always ruffle someones feathers.Keep up your positive stand .As I said in a older post that our deer belong to GOD and we are just the care takers doing the best we can with what we have to work with.GOD bless you guys dealing with EHD

Dennis,

My bible tells me that I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens Us! Good for you to be wise enough to ask for the strength. We are also told that we will not go through any trials or tribulation that we can't handle with our Lord on our side! God bless all of us and let's not forget that " THIS TO SHALL PASS"