Friday, January 20, 2012

Our Little Herd

While I put these pictures on, there are nine deer behind the house, having just come out of the forest. While we don't really want them here, they seem determined to stay. Because they were eating all our bird food, we finally bought deer feed as it's much cheaper than what we are spending on the bird seed. We put the deer food out behind the house, behind the fenced in area for the dogs. At times, they do jump the fence and clean up the bird seed. The buck (first picture) is the most 'tame'.
Here, he stares at me in the living room window, inside the fence where he should not be.Three does walking up the paths they've made to the corn. Taken from bedroom window.This one I refer to as the 'baby' - the smallest - it sees me in the window.Barely dawn two mornings ago, some have already arrived looking for food. A little disagreement between two of them.Yesterday morning, before the snowstorm. Baby and sibling and mom. After the storm, they did not come out last night for food, and we late coming today. As much as we wish they weren't here, we worry about them when they aren't.
Wolves, and last night -28 C with heavy, new and very deep snow now.No-one in sight this morning. I finished with the dog outings and went out to leave the feed expecting them to come soon. Suddenly, the buck came out of the bush and watched me. I began to talk softly to him and he continued to approach. I turned and went to another area and he continued to follow me up towards the house.I went up the stairs to the deck and he flinched when I opened the door, but stayed. I got the camera and went back out and stood on the deck, continuing to talk to him and took these pictures. It took only seconds for him to put his head down and begin to eat.He looks quite relaxed here, chewing away. He has the most beautiful eyes. It wasn't until this afternoon, that the rest of the little herd came up for food.
I think with the easy winter we had early on, they did not move to their normal winter deer yards and then got stuck, left behind. Now, we seem to be 'stuck' with them, as I don't imagine they will leave now.