"Doe Season" is a short story by David Michael Kaplan, first published in 1980. The story revolves around a young girl named Andie, who goes on a hunting trip with her father and uncle in the woods of Maine. The narrative explores themes of identity, family dynamics, and the complexities of growing up.
If you enjoyed the themes of “Doe Season,” explore Alice Munro’s “Boys and Girls” (another farm-based coming-of-age) or Rick Bass’s “The Hermit’s Story” (modern nature writing).
“Her mother walked into the water and kept walking… the water closed over her head.”
For young readers, especially girls, the story offers a rare mirror: a protagonist who is brave but not hardened, tender but not weak. For adult readers, it’s a reminder that the most important kills are the ones we choose not to make. Doe Season By David Michael Kaplan Full Text
“Doe Season” endures because it refuses the usual arc of empowerment. Andy does not become a killer. She does not win her father’s full approval. She does not resolve the tension between who she is and who she is told to be. Instead, Kaplan suggests that growing up means living inside that tension—and sometimes, choosing to walk away from the test.
"Doe Season" is a critically acclaimed short story that has been widely anthologized and studied in literary circles. The story centers around Andy, a young boy who spends his summer vacation with his family in rural Pennsylvania. Andy's family consists of his parents, Mac and Lee, and his older brother, Rick.
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The full text of “Doe Season” is protected by copyright and is not included here. The story can be found in David Michael Kaplan’s short story collection, Comfort (Penguin Books, 1988), which is widely available in libraries and bookstores.
In the canon of American coming-of-age stories, few capture the brutal ambivalence of losing childhood as sharply as David Michael Kaplan’s “Doe Season.” First published in The Iowa Review in 1984 and later included in his collection Comfort , the story has become a staple in classrooms and literary circles—not because it offers easy lessons, but because it refuses to look away from the messiness of growing up.
At its core, "Doe Season" is a story about the human condition, and the ways in which we navigate the complexities of life. It is a powerful exploration of the relationships between fathers and sons, uncles and nephews, and the ways in which these relationships shape us into the people we become. If you enjoyed the themes of “Doe Season,”
The journey exposes Andy to the harsh realities of the adult world she is on the verge of entering, including the casual sexism of her male companions. She drinks coffee for the first time and is forced to endure Charlie’s taunts about her name—questioning whether she is “Andrea” or “Andy,” a girl or a boy.
" Doe Season " by David Michael Kaplan is a poignant coming-of-age story that explores the loss of innocence as nine-year-old Andy navigates rigid gender roles and the brutal realities of hunting with her father. Through the symbolism of a slain doe, the story highlights the violent transition from childhood to the complexities of becoming a woman. The narrative serves as a powerful examination of identity and the inevitable surrender of innocence, making it a commonly studied piece of contemporary literature.