We're expecting!!!
No, not us.
(WE finally figured out what was causing all these kids)
The Pure Florida HQ deer (aka ...gardengobblers, squashslurpers, veggievanquishers, beanplant browsers, etc) are expecting.
This doe was in the front "yard" the other day so I slipped out to shoot her ... digitally shoot her.
She wasn't crazy about that idea, so she slipped into the woods. The yellow sign along the sandy track that serves as a driveway says, "Lab Crossing" on the other side. Perhaps I need a second sign, " Pregnant Doe Crossing".
I gave her a little head start, and then headed off after her. It was another windy day and I thought I could creep up on her since the wind whipped wildly whooshing trees would cover my approach.
Sure enough, in a shady palm hammock that we call "the glade", I found her ... frozen. She had still managed to spot me before I spotted her. In fact, I actually spotted the young spike buck below and was shooting him, when I realized she was just a few feet away staring at me.
So I had managed to sneak up on her after all ... I just didn't know it.
Doesn't she look nicely pregnant?
This knobby headed spike buck is probably the bouncy goofy fawn that was around all last summer with his momma. This fall will be a challenge for him, since he will be sporting legal antlers for the first time and may wind up on some one's dinner table.
If he's smart, he'll roam between neighbor Fred's 10 acres and my 10 acres. Neither of us shoot deer on our property, but (and here is where his testosterone speaks) look at those pictures ... I could stalk and take a deer easy if I wanted to do so.
I'm not against deer hunting, I just run Pure Florida HQ as a sanctuary ... even when they eat my garden that I stuck in the middle of THEIR habitat.
Ungrateful ungulates!
That mama deer is about to give birth to one of the most gentle and cutest creatures on earth. I raised one that someone thought they were rescuing and brought to my home one weekend. They should have left it where they found it because its mama had put it there for a reason. The little thing was like a puppy and followed me everywhere at the wildlife hospital. We got milk for it from the Palm Beach Zoo. She free roamed around the hospital's grounds until she matured and left to find herself a gentleman deer.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, the deer allow you to share their land and in return, they take some of your garden. I think that's fair.
Sooner or later you're going to have to decide whether you're a gardener or a wildlife habitat custodian. {laughing} Venison is very healthy meat as is the deer population in Florida. Too healthy in many places.
ReplyDelete.....Alan.
Yes, Pure Florida is definitely a sanctuary, for you and your sweet ungulates. Can't wait to see the fawn. We have a momma deer around our place sometimes that gives birth to twins. Is there anything cuter?
ReplyDeleteI'm probably going to get pelted with stones if I say they look very tasty, huh?
ReplyDeleteHere there is a huge overpopulation of deer and they are over-grazing wildflowers something fierce.
We don't hunt them but I do like the meat.
You're still capturing the WOW factor! Can't wait to see the fawn, which I'm sure you'll manage to shoot.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I enjoy venison whenever it's offered, but I could never bring myownself to actually shoot one.
rewind... I had forgotten how long 'Paladin' ran. I had such a crush on him back then. Of course, just about any man on a horse stole my heart. But a dapper, well-educated, highly ethical 'champion of justice' on a horse... 8-}
POP,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful experience you had!
As for the garden eating ... define "some".
:)
Alan,
I know. I'm done with gardening until I finish a deer proof fence around my little plot.
They ate everything this year.
Robin,
These ungrateful ungulates are very deer to me.
:)
Rurality,
I enjoy venison too and we own another 20 acre forest where I would be more likely to take a deer or hog.
It really would be too easy here.
Sophie,
Branded, The Rifleman, Gunsmoke, all contemporary shows for me.
Glad you got some WOW out of these. I do like the shot of her in the glade.
Great shots, as usual FC.
ReplyDeleteAround here the hunters don't stalk the deer as skillfully as you did with your camera. They usually just scout out the game trails, then perch themselves up in a tree stand overlooking a trail bright and early one morning - the deer come to the "hunters", not vice-versa.
I was jealous when you had such wonderful photo ops of non-pregnant deer--I almost can't stand this!
ReplyDelete(And you do have a great camera to "shoot" them with...) Keep 'em coming, can't wait to see the baby.
Hal,
ReplyDeleteThat's standard procedure here too. I think stalking went out with the Last Of The Mohicans.
Peggy,
Thanks! Before June is through, we should see some fawns here.
Fawn photos forthcoming.
what a nice surprise. nice pictures hope your'll beable to get some nice shots(pictures) of the fawn when it gets here
ReplyDeletelori
Lori,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Pure Florida!
I will certainly try for those fawn photos.
Thanks for stopping by!
The Hermit just reported seeing a fawn around here yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI can't help it, I'm thinking venison. I like it a lot better than beef these days! But, I can understand having a refuge for these creatures.
Deb,
ReplyDeleteNo quibble here. I like venison too. My daughter Katie loves it as long as someone else shoots the deer.
I'm that way about cows too tho, so I can't tease her.
I think you'd better start planting a larger garden for all the granddeer you're about to feed. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat shots!!!
by the way, I loved the photo of the seashell wedding cake from a few posts back. I've never seen one like that before!
Laura,
ReplyDeleteYou'd think they would have enough to eat on 10 acres of woods and grass, but nooooooo. They have to eat my small garden and the front yard flowers.
That seashell cake was made by a lady in Newberry ... Cakes By Miss Debbie.
She's an icing artist!