The Deer-of-the-Week is Sara, a 3-year-old doe who is the only survivor of a set of triplets produced by Josie. While she was a young fawn, coyotes came near the outside pen and terrified her into smashing against the chain link fence. She broke her jaw and, although she can chew her food, her tongue has always drooped from her mouth. We don’t allow her to remain outside when it’s below freezing for fear her tongue will become frostbitten.

Last spring, without a hint she was pregnant, Sara gave birth to a fawn with a split hard palate. The fawn’s nose wasn’t connected in the center, but hung in flaps over the upper jaw. Since it was unable to suck, it had to be destroyed. It was more merciful than subjecting it to a series of operations with dubious results.

This brings us to a much-repeated question asked by those who are aware of how deeply I feel for animals. The question is, “How can you do it?” — that is, destroy an ailing bird or beast.

The wildlings need my help when they’re unable to care for themselves, so I feed, clean and shelter them until they can go off on their own. I’ve salvaged some pretty “far gone” creatures, and it has given me such a sense of gratification to see them take flight or bounce over the fields and into the woods.

But, there are those hopeless situations when they need my help in another way. Raccoons with broken backs and squirrels with crushed hips have needed that special kind of help.

Years ago, people were brought in for the sad task of destroying ailing creatures, but the animals were uptight around the strangers and the chore was often botched, resulting in even more suffering. With me, the animals are relaxed. There is no perception or fear, and it’s over in a split second with one well-placed bullet. Seeing the pain-wracked bodies relax as the invisible little spirit departs doesn’t wipe out that old brick-in-the-chest feeling, but it helps.

Now, changing to a lighter subject, Oscar-the-bear may come out with some rather startling statistic as he greets the New Year.

It’s been a well-publicized fact that Oscar is an unusually large boar bear — but never boring! His head has sent taxidermists scratching for adequate adjectives to express their disbelief at what they saw before them. There has yet to be one who has seen a larger head on a black bear, and they have noted Oscar’s other impressive features — such as the paw that measures 8 inches across in a relaxed position.

According to some statistics on black bear, the average animal is 25 inches from shoulders to the ground. Oscar may go 42 inches! Again checking the list of statistics, the average black bear is 5 feet long. Oscar is over 7 feet. These are measurments “according to Jerry,” but a Boone and Crockett official will be stopping by to determine the true facts and figures.

In the meantime, Oscar wishes you a grrrrrrrrrreat New Year!

Jerry Elwell is a free-lance nature writer from Sherman Station.