Fawns and hens *pics*

[Zenbirder]

We have been so amazed at the interactions between the mule deer and our free range hens. They hens act like the deer are cows or horses, just more livestock that lives with us. The deer are often curious about the hens and will go up to them and sniff them. They also choose to lay down near them. I think it is a mutual instinct where they have more eyes to watch out for predators. I always feel safer for the hens when the does and fawns are about. These pics I took today right outside my house. The deer are here on our property all the time now because we have water out and it has been so dry there is no natural water anywhere in the area.

The coop and garden are in the background.

This little guy got pecked in the nose by the BR right after I took the pic. He jumped back and went over to lay down near his Mom.

I have seen nine fawns at the same time here this year.

And a shot of part of the herd. That is my art studio in the background.

 

[texaschickmama]

Those are great pics. Deer season starts tomorrow. I don't know about there, but you may want to warn them.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Oh, what sweet pictures!

 

[JenniferJoIN]

That is a really neat picture! We had a couple of deer visitors earlier in the summer, but they quit coming around when the soybeans got too tall!

And another two weeks before its (gun) deer season here too!

 

[chickengirlnm]

are the deer fairly tame - when you are out there? or do they run at first sight?
you are so lucky to have vistors like that all i get around here is a stray cat or two and a dog or two

Julie

 

[joanm]

Great pictures!!!

 

[TransplantedTexan]

I am kinda glad I don't have deer roaming my property like that. I would be to tempted to grab the bow and fill the freezer.

 

[Zenbirder]

Quote:
Yes I understand, and so do the deer. They know there is no danger from being on our property. We walk within 20 feet of them regularly, though I am always cautious with the bucks and to let them all know where I am so they don't startle and run in to me accidently. They know our dog and he also walks among them with no problems. We have been pleased to see that when others arrive the deer are wary and much more cautious, they do recognize differences between known people and strangers, both for humans and dogs.
It really saddens me to see hunting season approach as I have so little rights. A beautiful huge buck grew up here. He was such a joy to us. I watched him for so so many hours. In the last year he would lay outside my studio and "teach" a young buck to spar. The old guy would lay down and spar from the ground to make the situation more equal. It was sweet and compelling, the youngster was so likely to be his son. Come hunting season he was gone, someone got 15 minutes of pleasure and some meat for their family who was not hungry. I lost hundreds of future hours of watching. The deer in this area lost great genetics. Now the bucks all grow up with deformed antlers because the only bucks to live have the genetics for the deformity and pass it along. Goes to prove no one really needs the deer meat to feed their family, they want the bragging rights because they do not kill the bucks with the deformed antlers.
My rights are to keep hunters off my property, and that I do. I have met them as a mad woman with a shotgun in my hands pointed at the ground (loaded with plastic crowd control pellets but they don't know that). I must say they have all had excellent "tuck tail" manners.

 

[Standard Hen]

Those pictures are beautiful, thanks for sharing them with us. You live in a beautiful place there.

 

[Bamaman]

"It really saddens me to see hunting season approach as I have so little rights. A beautiful huge buck grew up here. He was such a joy to us. I watched him for so so many hours. In the last year he would lay outside my studio and "teach" a young buck to spar. The old guy would lay down and spar from the ground to make the situation more equal. It was sweet and compelling, the youngster was so likely to be his son. Come hunting season he was gone, someone got 15 minutes of pleasure and some meat for their family who was not hungry. I lost hundreds of future hours of watching. The deer in this area lost great genetics. Now the bucks all grow up with deformed antlers because the only bucks to live have the genetics for the deformity and pass it along. Goes to prove no one really needs the deer meat to feed their family, they want the bragging rights because they do not kill the bucks with the deformed antlers."

For me hunting is far more than 15 min. of pleasure. I go hunting just to get away and relax, to see any kind of wildlife is great, whether its what i'm hunting or not. Sometimes I don't harvest the animal, and just watch them. More than likely if that buck had a large rack then he had already passed on his genes to future generations. There are several factors that affect antler growth, including drought, health, amounts of food, ect.
All that said, you have your right to keep hunters off your land, but I also have my right to hunt on my land.