Count em.
With the addition of the cattle panel dog containment system,(CPDCS) the deer have realized that our ten acres are a safer place to hang.
They always used the wooded portions of PFHQ, but were very cautious about approaching the house "yard" due to 2 giant dogs.
The CPDCS has changed their behavior as has the over the fence tossing of organic veggie and fruit leftovers by us.
Toss in a little deer corn and they are regular visitors to the house...although not when the dogs are actually using the CPDCS.
The does are the most frequent diners at the watermelon rind corn cafe, but we did have that velvety buckster above show up recently ... which had me scrambling for my camera, which was inside ... in the air conditioning.
Slipping out into the thick humid air would do two things:
1) Probably spook the deer.
2) Instantly fog the lens.
So these shots were, of necessity, taken through the glass of our French doors.
The adults feel comfortable enough to bring their fawns up to the cafe area instead of keeping them deep in our woods.
If a fawn doesn't make you go warm and fuzzy inside, seek help.
We share this ground, but we are not friends.
That's what the stomp-snort above is saying.
I'm fine with that.
It's best if we don't get too chummy.
Deer season will start soon and their lives will be more complicated when they roam.
Here they are protected, even if we aren't on speaking terms.
(I don't hunt anymore, but I support legal hunting.)
It does tickle me to think about people spending thousands of dollars per year to join a hunt club when I could take a deer easily from the upstairs bedroom window with no screen.
Not going to, mind you, but it does make me smile.
Oh and one more thing ...
Occasionally, ALIENS appear at the cafe.
9 comments:
There are feral pigs in Florida? Love the deer pics, I have numerous trail cams out to watch their goings-on. Like Christmas, collecting the memory cards! I don't hunt, never did, and wish only those who really NEED the meat, did. Not the trophy hunters. Not no way, not no how.
There are a few things I miss about living out in the woods and seeing deer out the window is one of them. And most especially when they brought their beautiful little fawns with them to eat the scattered bird seed under the big pines. Love seeing them there in your safe yard.
I would faint if feral hogs showed up anywhere near my home. Scary beasts.
Nice feature of your little bit of wilderness. I see deer sometimes on my early morning runs along the streamside trail in suburbia, and sometimes I get the stamping/snorting response, so I just trot along. Like you, I don't hunt, but I do support and see the conservation value of legal hunting.
On the feral hog issue, Florida is LOADED with feral hogs, but they are full size pigs, not recently lost pets like these 2 pot-bellies.
The feral hogs are invasive and incredibly destructive. Florida law allows landowners to destroy them year round. Which I will gladly do if they ever show up here. They are present in the area, but for some reason have never shown up at PFHQ.
Aliens! Kinda creepy!
A pig portrait! Thanks for sharing all of the images. I live in the country and our deer sightings are mostly in the corn and soybean fields these days. No matter the age, I'm always happy to see them. Kim in PA
Looks like you might be adding 2 pet pigs to your collection of regular visitors. As long as the feral ones don't show up. My mom lives in Lake Placid, FL and I have seen them in Hendry County as well as Highlands County alongside the road. You can see where they've been because everything is uprooted - looks like a tractor went crazy and dug up the ground in a frenzy.....
Hope Irma doesn't hit you too hard - long time reader here. Stay safe and dry!
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