After hours of fruitless waiting, Andy finally gets her chance. She sees a doe and, after a tense moment, shoots and kills it. But the triumph she anticipated never comes. Instead, she is horrified by the animal's death and the gruesome process of field dressing that follows. In a moment of visceral awakening, she sees the deer's belly slit open, and the sight triggers a profound shift within her. The story concludes with Andy, now fully aware of her own identity as Andrea, rejecting the finality of the kill and the masculine world it represents, thereby completing her unsettling journey from innocence to experience.
Over three decades since its publication, "Doe Season" remains a touchstone for discussions of gender, identity, and coming of age. It avoids cliché by refusing to offer its protagonist a comforting resolution. Andy does not simply decide to "be a girl"; she is irrevocably changed by violence and is left in a state of in-betweenness. The story’s power lies in its unflinching look at the pain of growing up—the realization that gaining a new part of yourself often means losing another. It is a masterpiece of economy, using a single weekend in the woods to map the vast, turbulent inner world of a child on the verge of becoming someone new. Doe Season By David Michael Kaplan Full Text
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its nuanced portrayal of Andy's inner life. Kaplan skillfully captures the turmoil and uncertainty of adolescence, as Andy navigates his relationships with his family, friends, and the natural world. The characterizations are rich and multidimensional, with even minor characters feeling fully realized and authentic. After hours of fruitless waiting, Andy finally gets
If you are a teacher or student, the full text of “Doe Season” is available in the short story collection (University of Iowa Press, 1987) and in various literature anthologies such as Points of View and The Story and Its Writer . Please support the author by purchasing or accessing the story through legal, educational channels. Instead, she is horrified by the animal's death
Hunting stories are traditionally masculine: the boy becomes a man by killing. Kaplan inverts this. Andy can shoot. She’s a good shot. But when she finally faces a doe—not the buck the men are tracking—something shifts. The doe is pregnant. It doesn’t run. It looks at her.
David Michael Kaplan is an American writer known for his lyrical and introspective style, often exploring themes of family, identity, and the human condition. "Doe Season" is considered one of his notable works, showcasing his ability to craft nuanced and thought-provoking narratives.
She is caught between two worlds. She can load a rifle and track deer, but she also dreams of the ocean. Her internal conflict is not cowardice vs. courage—it is authenticity vs. performance. Her final breakdown in the car is not weakness but the grief of self-knowledge.