Oh deer!

[lowkey]

I saw two deer this evening. I wonder if they are becoming overly tame.
Usually they bolt at the sound of human approach. Though this particular
habitat is being surrounded by new suburban housing development.

Deer #1 simply stood there maybe 100 metres away from me on the trail that
ran along the treeline out in the middle of a large clearing. I had stopped
for a sip and hadn't even noticed her. She took a few steps towards me. I
pondered trying to frighten her to give her a healthy fear of humans. But in
the end I just rode on.

Deer #2 I came upon in a smaller clearing. She did take a few loping steps
away from the trail to the treeline but did not vanish into the trees.
Instead she waited to see what I would do. I was thinking her brown coat
didn't really do much for camouflage against the deep green of the tall
grass and tree foliage. Our eyes met momentarily considering each other as I
rode on.

On my loop back I saw deer#1 again in the same spot. No other critters on
the way back except dragonflies and one wascally wabbit.

--
'Keep on riding north and west
Then circle south and east
Show me beauty
but there is no peace.' -rush

 

[psycholist]

"Of course it hurts. The trick is not minding that it hurts."
T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia)
"lowkey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I saw two deer this evening. I wonder if they are becoming overly tame.
> Usually they bolt at the sound of human approach. Though this particular
> habitat is being surrounded by new suburban housing development.
>
> Deer #1 simply stood there maybe 100 metres away from me on the trail that
> ran along the treeline out in the middle of a large clearing. I had
> stopped for a sip and hadn't even noticed her. She took a few steps
> towards me. I pondered trying to frighten her to give her a healthy fear
> of humans. But in the end I just rode on.
>
> Deer #2 I came upon in a smaller clearing. She did take a few loping steps
> away from the trail to the treeline but did not vanish into the trees.
> Instead she waited to see what I would do. I was thinking her brown coat
> didn't really do much for camouflage against the deep green of the tall
> grass and tree foliage. Our eyes met momentarily considering each other as
> I rode on.
>
> On my loop back I saw deer#1 again in the same spot. No other critters on
> the way back except dragonflies and one wascally wabbit.
>
> --
> 'Keep on riding north and west
> Then circle south and east
> Show me beauty
> but there is no peace.' -rush
>

I'll assume you were on a mountain bike on a trail? I live in a very rural
area and I ride the roads. I encounter deer all the time. Because the bike
is so silent, it's easy to get close. Because the bike is so fast (as are
the deer), it's easy to get clobbered. I've had quite a number of very
close calls with deer bounding out of the woods directly into my path.

Though I've seen hundreds over the last few years that I've lived here, I
still love seeing them. We have tons of wild turkeys, too. And foxes and
coyotes and raccoons. Oh, and this area has got to be the vulture capital
of the world. We've had lots of rain lately. There's a large, dead tree
just down the road and, after it rains, the vultures congregate in that tree
and sit with their wings extended to dry them out. It's a bizzare sight.
--
Bob C.

 

[lowkey]

"psycholist" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "lowkey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> I saw two deer this evening. I wonder if they are becoming overly tame.
>> Usually they bolt at the sound of human approach. Though this particular
>> habitat is being surrounded by new suburban housing development.

> I'll assume you were on a mountain bike on a trail?

Yes.

> I live in a very rural area and I ride the roads.

This area is very suburban. Housing developments/green space/retail on
three sides with new suburrban development on on the fourth being built.

> I encounter deer all the time. Because the bike is so silent, it's easy
> to get close. Because the bike is so fast (as are the deer), it's easy to
> get clobbered. I've had quite a number of very close calls with deer
> bounding out of the woods directly into my path.

The thing is I wasn't quiet and the deer did see me. They just didn't take
off for cover as I would expect them to. The one that took some steps
towards me I suspect was fed by humans and associated people with food.


> Though I've seen hundreds over the last few years that I've lived here, I
> still love seeing them.

Oh, so do I. It just worries me when they lose a prudent flight reflex.

--
'Tire spitting gravel
I commit my weekly crime'-rush

 

[Bob the Cow]

"lowkey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I saw two deer this evening. I wonder if they are becoming overly tame.
> Usually they bolt at the sound of human approach. Though this particular
> habitat is being surrounded by new suburban housing development.
>
> Deer #1 simply stood there maybe 100 metres away from me on the trail that
> ran along the treeline out in the middle of a large clearing. I had
> stopped for a sip and hadn't even noticed her. She took a few steps
> towards me. I pondered trying to frighten her to give her a healthy fear
> of humans. But in the end I just rode on.
>
> Deer #2 I came upon in a smaller clearing. She did take a few loping steps
> away from the trail to the treeline but did not vanish into the trees.
> Instead she waited to see what I would do. I was thinking her brown coat
> didn't really do much for camouflage against the deep green of the tall
> grass and tree foliage. Our eyes met momentarily considering each other as
> I rode on.
>
> On my loop back I saw deer#1 again in the same spot. No other critters on
> the way back except dragonflies and one wascally wabbit.

This is interesting. Where I live deer are ubiquitous; I have found a fawn
on the lawn on more than one occasion, and I got Lyme disease mowing that
same lawn last year.

It's been my observation that deer aren't spooked by cyclists. Unless they
smell you, it's my opinion that they aren't sure what you are, and that your
movement doesn't set off the "Haul Ass, Bambi!!!!" alarm in their stupid
little heads. If the wind't at your back, they're outta there, but I've
ridden very close to many deer without spooking them -- deer that would have
been long gone had I been on foot.