Or, at least off the patio.
Fifteen feet away. And, they don’t run if they see you. Eating the acorns under the oak trees. There were six of them total this evening. Two here, and four in the driveway.
Only a two point buck currently.
Believe me, I will not be happy if they start eating my rhododendron and my evergreens again, like they did last year. Last year the snow cover made it really difficult for them to survive. Obviously, those who did, had quite a few offspring.
For some reason, we had a banner year of young ones. They seem to go in cycles. Every two years, we get inundated.
About a week ago, we counted at least a dozen in the meadow.
It is sad, because there isn’t enough for them to eat in the developed land. As more and more of their habitat turns into McMansions they become more desperate to find food. Last winter they were eating our pine trees and the leaves off anything green in the yard, not their normal choice of food, but all that was available.
When does hunting season start? Because we need to get the numbers back under control. I don’t relish another winter with dead deer in our yard after cars hit them or people running off the road into the fields getting injured. It’s that time of year. Most of us try to avoid them, but the first time you have to deal with a decaying carcass and masses of turkey vultures in your yard, doing their thing, you learn to really love the hunters who keep our population somewhat under control.
Hmmm, maybe we need a few wolves or coyotes to even the odds around here. Right now the major predators seem to be Fords, Chevys, and their “brethren”.
Seriously, though, we have been inundated this fall. I have never in our ten years here seen this many, so close to the house. And, it’s only October.
AnnieRie Unplugged 