Deer at the Firing Range

This evening while driving past the firing range, I saw two young mule deer grazing in the low meadow between the range fence and the roadway. This was the second day in a row they'd been visible from the highway. Yesterday when coming back home after my sister's heart emergency we saw them inside the fence at the range, in the brush on the edge of the timber bordering that sprawling property. Today, the deer had apparently jumped the fence for the proverbial greener pastures.

They must be content with grass right now. In a few months, they -- or their numerous relatives in the neighborhood -- will be gobbling up our roses and other tasty flowers.

Last summer one of my wildflower patches was mysteriously flattened in the shape of one of these critters and many of the flowers had been eaten. In addition, the bird baths were so frequently empty in the morning, that I put an old kettle on the ground near the baths and filled it to the brim every night. We placed another old roasting pan in the ground near our little stand of trees. Both were often empty in the morning. I suppose the deer came through and drank, but the coyotes and foxes could have used it as well. It would be fun to hook up some kind of webcam or surveillance equipment to take pictures of the night visitors.

But that's in the future. For now, I'm happy to see them minding their own business on someone else's property, though why they would live on a firing range is beyond me.

For more information about these beautiful creatures, visit the Mule Deer Foundation.