Women can answer questions, too
By Sheila Donnelly/Austin Daily Herald

Hunting season has been going on in our area for a now the past month. Duck hunting was a couple weekends ago and this past weekend was pheasant hunting.

Hunters, who drive slowly up and down the dirt road that runs in front of our house, are peering into the ditches and the harvested bean fields to see wildlife. Every time the drivers leave are when we see the deer, pheasants and wild turkeys. I am glad that we see the wildlife more often then the hunters driving by in their trucks do.

I used to despise the hunters when I first moved to this farm. Men would drive up in their trucks and honk for me to come out of my house and then ask if they could hunt in our woods. Sunday mornings were the worst when I would be getting the kids ready for church and two or more guys would drive up and sit in their trucks and honk. I finally refused to go out and speak to them or even go to the door. One time I had two guys give me the finger when I shook my head at them from the window.

Our eldest son is the one we let hunt on the property. He has an indoor job and likes to tramp the woods, pasture and fields. He keeps the gates shut and lets us know if something is amiss.

Because a road runs through our property, I have had hunters come on our land when they don't have permission. They have left the gates open, which has caused the cattle to escape. This hasn't happened lately, but during hunting season we are constantly checking for trespassers in our woods and backfields. This year, I was feeling glad that no one had driven up to ask to hunt.

Then, last week, when I was busy writing, my neighbor drove up in his truck. He and his brother-in-law got out of the truck and knocked at the door. My neighbor rarely says anything, but I knew right away that his brother-in-law wanted to hunt.

When I opened the door, the brother-in-law said, "I was wondering if your husband would mind if I hunted."

I raised my hand and interrupted him, "Stop right there. You lost me with that line. YOU WERE WONDERING IF MY HUSBAND ..."

He interrupted me, "Yes, I was wondering if your husband would mind if I hunted across the road in your woods."

I interrupted, "Don't ask what me what my husband thinks. I own this property too. I pay taxes on it. You are speaking to the owner. Ask me if I would let you hunt on our property. Don't you know how to speak to women? Am I not a person? You lost me with your first line ... your husband."

"Well, would your husband mind if I hunted over there?" he insisted.

"Look, you aren't listening to me. No, you cannot hunt here. You had better learn how to speak to property owners and realize that women own property too. I tell every man I meet who speaks to me, as you are, that they had better learn to speak to women and treat them better. No you cannot hunt here," I repeated.

This guy was unfazed and said, "Oh, so I'm not the only one who you tell this too."

He was really trying my patience and I said, "No and I am busy. Goodbye."

I closed the door and I was furious. Are all the men in my neighborhood missing parts of their brains? They act like cavemen. This has happened to me so often that I am going to be after all of them even more anytime one asks me if my husband would mind.

I will interrupt them and say over and over, "Yes, I sure the heck mind."