I'm blessed!

What a weekend we've had. Just to give you the highlights, yesterday, as in previous days I took the atv back to our food plots to check for turkey damage and if birds were there to scare them off. On the first trip, we have one real small plot just behind one of the vegetable gardens. As I was going into the food plot I was looking down because that is one spot the birds have scratched up. But I was barely moving so did not get far and I looked up. Whoops! Six deer were standing on the other side, only 30 yards away. They just stood there looking at me.

Most of the local deer know that I treat them well and never intend to scare them. Most times I'll turn the atv off and actually talk to them. But I wanted to get to the other plot so I backed up. Interesting as I had the trailer hooked on but it was no problem for me. I could imagine if that had been my wife. lol

So I started toward the back plot on a different route. Nope. More deer but just 2 that I saw. One more way back but I saw a couple deer laying down so gave up. A few hours later I tried again. Not as many deer (only 3 or 4 this time) but I just came back to the house. So mid afternoon I thought it was worth one more try and also there was a trail cam where I wanted to put new batteries in. I got past the first plot and then just past the first wood pile. Then suddenly a fawn walked into the lane. I stopped and shut the machine off. I looked to my left, where the fawn was heading because that seems to be a natural bedding area and I've seen numerous deer there. Yup. Another fawn. But as the first one got to that one, suddenly I saw 2 more and they were walking into the food plot. Then the other 2 followed them. At this point we were about 20 yards apart.

As I looked, suddenly I spotted a doe on the other side. The smallest fawn soon spotted her and went to her and in time the other 3 went into the woods. So here I'm left with a doe and fawn standing at that time under a cherry tree that leans out over the plot and they like to go there to eat the cherries that drop. Suddenly I spied another doe going toward them. Geeze, how am I going to get anything done. I decided to go ahead so started the atv and moved ahead so that I was right into the clear. The doe looked then went back to eating. Ya, they are really scared!

As I went forward, the food plot narrows and it is like an hourglass shape in one spot. The doe finally walked about 10' off the edge of the plot but not the fawn until I got straight across from it. So I'm thinking now I'm in the clear and drove on to where the camera was. I shut the machine off and as I was getting off I spotted another doe! This one was laying down about 15 yards behind the tree the camera was on. I went and took the camera from the tree and took it back to the atv. The doe stayed.

As I was changing batteries (12 in this camera) I looked once and the doe had stood up but did not move off. Then I looked to my right and wouldn't you know, another doe was walking right toward me. There is a small pin oak just inside that plot and she came on my side of the tree. I have not checked but I'm pretty sure it is about 15 yards or less from where I was to the tree. That deer seemed totally at ease. She did walk off as I was replacing the camera.

So now I have to go back up the lane to the house. The doe and fawn by the cherry were still there. I know what that doe was thinking because she started peeing. She was probably thinking, "Pee on you. This is my spot."

I saw 3 more deer before getting to the house. Later I was in the barn and came out to go to the house. Yup. Another deer, this one a fawn, was standing by one of the sheds just starring at me. My wife could see out the kitchen window another doe bedded. Wow, we are blessed.

So what about today? I'll just post a picture for you. The picture was taken from inside the house and are a little blurred because of the chicken wire fence. All together there were 4 does and 3 fawns. I didn't get all of them into the picture but this gives you an idea. I also took a video but it is like 36 meg so it won't get uploaded.

 

Yes, that is the sad part. There are many around here that think they have to shoot every deer they see. I don't mind a young hunter starting out to take a doe or a spike but geeze, how many do you need? A few years ago we had a doe I could almost walk up to. Many times if I'd go back to work up the ground or spread lime or fertilizer of whatever, she would either stand or lie down next to the spot I was working. I don't know of anyone else she would do that with but she did come up missing after deer season.

I like to keep the does on our place. Sometimes it brings good seed!

 

Great pics Dennis! We flushed a few today bedding down while taking a ride in the tall stuff in the field. I think they scared us more than we scared them.