Deer

Brenda · Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:25 am

They rarely come that close to our house, most likely because of the dogs, but I did have a young buck in velvet last(?) summer right under my kitchen window in my strawberry patch. I couldn't get a decent photo of him through the window and he was only there the one time. I do love watching them graze out in the back field though.

backpacker · Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:45 pm

For those who wish to see the 2007 Deer report click on the link below.

http://cassetyhollow.tripod.com/id1.html

Matt
I couldn't attach the word doc to the post? Is this possible by us or not?
So I made a link to my club's web page to view the doc.

Brenda · Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:46 am

Yesterday morning while I was fixing breakfast for the guests I happened to glance out the kitchen window just in time to see a newborn fawn stand up and take a stretch and then lay back down, right in our side "yard" just beyond the garden. It was in a part of the yard that we only mow on a rotational basis (for habitat), so the grass/weeds are about knee high now. I was so tempted to sneak over to take a picture, but I resisted because I didn't want to create a scent trail that the dogs might follow later on (Hey, what was Mom doing over here?). That doe certainly couldn't have "chosen" a better spot for her fawn. The coyotes never come onto this part of the property--at least we never see evidence (scat) here like we do out back. I think it's because our "pack" patrols and marks the perimeter daily!

backpacker · Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:11 pm

Well looks like mom did it again, I got another set of twins around the yard, didn't see mom but sure she wasn't far away.

Brenda · Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:53 pm

Isn't it funny how they know that the fawns will be safer closer to the house? I can't believe at this point that it's accidental. Beautiful babies!

Brenda · Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:00 am

We have a fawn somewhere in the tall grass right next to our cabin again this year. There may be even more than one, as Mike saw two doe early yesterday morning in that area. He watched one doe licking its fawn right under our kitchen window. Of course, the camera was out here in the office.

Once again, we haven't gone in search of the babies because we don't want to leave a scent trail to them.

On a related note, I was reading up on Purple Martin house placement and the website indicated that Martins have also "learned" that their nests/young are safer near houses. It's recommended that houses be erected no more than 120' (?) from your house. I guess that I should have read that before I had Mike move the Martin house all the way out back by the pond.

In any case, when I read that I immediately thought of our "yard deer."

chris270 · Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:00 pm

oooooh Purple Martins, If you do get some I want to see photos. They seem to escape me and my lens.

Brenda · Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:14 pm

I've been trying to attract them for several years now Chris, to no avail. I thought that perhaps by moving the house up by our new pond it would be a more appealing site for them, but I fear that's not the case. We'll give it this season in that spot, but come fall we'll store it and move it back closer to our cabin next spring. Once you get them to nest they're very loyal. It's just attracting those first pairs...I've found this site to be quite helpful: http://purplemartin.org/