The Day I Roped A Deer

Written for the Book "Cowboy Poets of Utah"

© 1984 - Published by the Utah Folk Life Center

We was sit-in’ drinking’ coffee, at the ranch-house in the morn.
And I just finished chewin' on a biscuit made of corn.
It was winter in Moseda, and we had spent the days,
A feedin’steers and heifers a stack of first crop hay.

We had a hand there with us by the name of Lucky Joe,
And he came into Utah, from a town in Idaho.
Old Joe was lucky bettin’ and we never seen him loose.
That’s how old Joe bought all his cloths and how he bought his booze.

Old Joe sat down his coffee cup as if he had his fill,
And on the table he laid down a twenty dollar bill.
He said: “I’ll bet a twenty, to anybody here,
There’s not a man in this whole land, can hog-tie just one deer.

Well we thought he’d gone crazy, as we all sat there that day.
Old Lucky Joe, was gonna’ go and throw his money away.
So we all threw down a twenty, and we didn’t even flinch,
Because the deer ate with the steers we knew we had a cinch.

So the boys all got together and they elected me.
Because I had a roping’ horse, as mean as he could be.
I saddled up old whiskey red, and headed out to feed,
While the other guys came with me, with their hearts all filled with greed.

When we got to the stack yard, they started feedin’ steers,
As I was winding up my rope and waitin’ for a deer,
When I saw a deer a comin’ I knew we was in luck,
So I threw the spurs to whiskey, and we went to catch a buck.

I swung my lasso over head, as Red ran through the steers, And when I roped that two point buck, old Red threw back his ears.
I know that deer stood four feet high, yet right before my eyes--
When he came charging Red and me-- he grew ten times that size.

He jumped and kicked with all four feet, with hooves as sharp as glass,
Then I could see Reds shoulder bleed, as the deer made it’s first pass.
I tried to pull my lasso tight, as the Deer’s feet hit the ground-
But instead of running from it’s foe the damned thing turned around.

Old Red commenced to bucking-- trying to shake that deer.
And sitting in that saddle I could feel a chill of fear.
The boys were all a cheering at that deer and Red and me.
And they said when it was over-- that it was a sight to see.

Cause Red tossed me from the saddle and I flew out with ease.
And landed in the prickly pears beneath the cedar trees.
The old deer kicked into the air and then shook off the noose,
and I thanked God as I sat there- - - - That, That damned deer was loose
The boys paid Joe a twenty, but he wouldn’t take my dough.
He said that I had earned it, when I gave the boys a show.
The moral of this story is, as I sit drinkin’ beer--
I might be one good roper-- But I roped my last deer.
By Floyd A. Jensen, The Utah Cowboy
Copyright © 1978

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