Deer Stories

Hunting is as fundamental to Vermont's cultural heritage as dairy farming, and its lineage reaches back beyond the arrival of the first European settlers. But as Vermont has changed, knowledge of hunting is no longer universal and some Vermonters are entirely outside its culture.

Based on interviews with hunters conducted by the Vermont Folklife Center, the Deer Stories series does not advocate for hunting but rather explores the experience from an insider’s point of view. In programs that range from tracking to taking an animal’s life, deer hunters introduce us to their world through stories that illustrate its culture, practices, and core values.

The twenty-three narrators featured in this series were chosen for their passion, knowledge, commitment and excellence as deer hunters, and their stories are representative of stories heard many times over in the course of this research.

Deer Stories - About The Series

Deer Stories features the voices of Vermonters Doug Bent, Rupert LaRock, Joe LaRock, Phil Brown, Frank Kurant, Stan Redlon, Ron Boucher, Mark Scott, James Ehlers, Ray Keyser, Reg Kribstock, Mary VanVeghten, Prentiss Dwinell, Stan Holmquist, Gayle Streeter, Hannah Streeter, Doug Lawrence, Joanne Ward, Shane Benoit, Barry Forbes, Nellie Staves, Cleo Johnson, and Roy Hines.

Deer Stories was produced by Erica Heilman and Gregory Sharrow for Vermont Folklife Center Media. It was mastered by Joe Egan of Egan Media Productions and transcription was by Marjorie Tsurikov.