Thursday, March 10, 2011

Nature Notes: Jumping for Joy

Remember this old song?

Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play...


A recent visit from the local deer herd made me think of it as they pranced and romped in the warmer weather and melting snow.

The photos aren't much, taken through dirty double pane windows with the deck and shrouded pool in the way. Still, I thought you might like to see them.













We don't see as many deer here as we used to. A herd of about twenty used to shelter in a pine stand next door, about three hundred mature trees that never were harvested for their intended purpose as Christmas trees. The neighbors cut most of them down this winter. (A rant for another day.) A hard winter, cars, and hunters have taken their toll, too.

Hunters in 2009 killed 132,752 deer in Indiana and 444,047 in Michigan, according to the DNR. And still there are sizable herds. It's sad to think of so many being killed, but imagine the impact on the environment if they were all left to breed.


Click here to visit Michelle's site and see more Nature Notes.

6 comments:

Rambling Woods said...

Oh no...our neighbors should be put on an island and sprayed with lawn chemicals..oh no...loved the deer.. I still have the group of 4 visiting..... Michelle

Vilisi said...

I enjoyed the joy filled pictures. I liked the one of the deer with his bottom and tail up in the air. So cute.How blessed you are to be able to see all this from the comfort of your home.Thanks for sharing. :)

Caron said...

I like the mamma and the baby action shot, but really they're all happy shots. I'm just north of you for awhile at my mom's house. You have far more wildlife than she does. :)

Caron said...

OK, I'm to the east. It's early yet.

EG CameraGirl said...

They are such beautiful animals, that's for sure!

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely deer, beautiful photos, specially the one of the deer leaping! Sad that the trees have been cut down...