A Deer Affair

Growing up on a farm I have always had a bit of a love affair with animals and always had dogs, cats, kittens, calves and lambs I fed with a bottle and even a pet turkey.  But the one animal that was elusive to me was the deer but that wasn't for the effort of trying.

When I was just 9 or 10 years of age mom's side of the family had a gathering at a long time friend of her family's place.  Julius had been mom's bus driver back in the 1930-40's era and mom had stayed in contact with him. 

 Well, Julius had some deer in a large enclosure which I imagine was several acres in size.  As he was showing mom & I around the various enclosures we came to the deer.  I spied a young fawn somewhat hidden and I imagined I just ooed and awed over the baby...so much so that both mom & Julius told me if I could catch the fawn I could take it home.  I do remember thinking that that was so awesome and readily accepted the challenge. 

I'm sure that both mom & Julius were chuckling as they left me in the enclosure never dreaming that I would have the tenacity of getting close to the fawn let alone catch it.  But catch it is exactly what happened and I'm guessing it only took a short time as both mom & Julius came running at full speed to see what was the cause of my incessant yelling of "MOM!!!"

I haven't any idea what might have gone through their minds when they saw me holding this itty, bitty fawn in my arms but I can but imagine mom thinking to herself 'why did I ever say she could take the fawn home.'  Needless to say I soon became more than a bit unhappy as they both supported each other in telling me I could not really take the fawn home.  I remember the devastating blow their retraction dealt me and I was not happy camper on the drive home.

To try and satisfy me mom looked up the address to the State Department of Natural Resources and told me to write them and ask their opinion of my having a pet fawn...if they said yes we would go back and get the fawn from Julius. 

I wrote that letter to the DNR and anxiously awaited their response.  It did not take them long to respond but much to my chagrin the DNR sided with mom & Julius that a pet fawn wasn't the wisest choice.  Devastation...pure and simple...my young heart was broken. 

But, as in true youth fashion, I soon got over it and now years later while sorting through boxes of family pictures I came across the picture of me and the fawn.  Seeing that picture did not bring back any of the feelings of devastation.  Rather, it brought a smile to my face that mom had taken a moment and taken a picture of me and the fawn which became the start of my long lasting love affair with deer.

This morning as I was going to let the dogs out I spied a fawn in the neighbor's yard burrowed into the snow sleeping.  I was soon to discover that this was not the only deer in the neighboring backyards.  All told there were eight deer, several of them does and the rest were fawns and yearlings.  

I didn't seem to notice the 20 something degree weather standing outside in my pajamas with my camera as I waited to catch a picture or two of the deer.  It was a good 15 minutes outside as the deer cautiously weaved their way through the miniature highways they had made in the snow to get back to their sanctuary of the woods across the street. 

One just has to love their curious nature and the quizzical looks they give as they peer out from behind bushes and trees thinking that they can see you but you can't see them.

All in all it was truly a 'deer' way to start out my morning!!