Unlike other winters in my area, it seems I have a couple of regular visitors to my backyard deer feeder this year.
Back in early December coyotes claimed a deer in my neighboring property; leaving a 6-month old orphan buck fawn to fend for itself.
This little guy was wandering around aimlessly in the backfields for a couple of weeks and I feared for the worse. There was another lone doe back there I captured on trail cam and I had hopes he might eventually team up with her.
(As many people know, a fawn on its own the first winter is quite vulnerable)
But it never happened – the loan doe actually seemed to shun him, from what I could tell, so a new ‘adopted mother’ idea was out of the question.
Then by the end of December there was another deer in the back that caught my eye. It was a 3.5 year old buck I know very well. He was actually the biggest 8-pointer I have in the back, and you may have seen in earlier posts from last summer and fall.
I call him Andrew.
Well, poor Andrew wasn’t looking very good at all. He had already dropped his antlers and was acting rather peculiar (they usually shed in mid-late Jan)
I could see from trailcam images that he always held one hind leg up while feeding, and then when I saw him in person it all became very clear.
(It is worth noting that by this time of year my deer have usually moved to the upper fields to yard. I have not fed deer regularly the last two winters)
Anyhow, Andrew had what appeared to be a broken ankle. It was right above his hoof and caused him grief when walking. He had a terrible limp and walked very gingerly on the bum leg. (Had his front leg been broken instead, he’d be much better off.)
It was not the healthy and bold buck I knew from the fall, he was now a wounded soldier.
Over the next week or so, both the fawn and gimpy Andrew appeared at my deer feeder with some regularity, until eventually they started hanging out together and the oddest thing began to happen…
From observing their behavior (usually through binoculars) into January, I could see that the fawn was started to serve as Andrew’s eyes and ears. The buck would bed down while the fawn stood guard. When it came time to feed, though, hierarchy took over and the buck would nudge the fawn out of the way from time to time.
Never-the-less, they continued to travel together fulltime from the bedding area back to my feeder, and around the fields about twice a day. (Andrew’s limp has improved slightly) They make the oddest team I’ve ever seen but it appears to be working.
The unlikely duo has so far been able to stay one step ahead of the coyotes too, which is incredible.
It is one ‘symbiotic relationship’ I have never before witnessed and there’s no telling how long it will last.
It does; however, demonstrate how resilient white-tailed deer can be; learning to adapt to situations presented to them. I know I will probably take heat from some readers for continuing to provide supplemental feed for deer during the winter, but that’s ok.
Outdoorsguy
Speaking of winter feeding, here’s a photo of a nice cow elk that feeds at Carol K’s place:
Here’s another pic of the same elk..Carol K says this cow has no problem hopping over that (Goat/sheep pen) fence the elk is standing beside.
Great pics Jeff and story line Jeff. But I have to remind you, they’re not your deer and naming them will only make the inevitable that much harder when it happens.
Hey Trapper, don’t worry I know what you’re saying.
Although I have named many of the deer I see around my place over the years, I do understand they are wild creatures and not pets. I suppose naming them is more about identifying individual animals.
With a pretty good understanding of how things work in nature, I have seen several of these deer get killed by coyotes or hit by vehicles in the past 12 -13 years. I’ve also explain to my kids how things work..and how these deer, we know by name, are still different from the family dog.
I guess I call them ‘my deer’ more out of habit since I am the only one has really observed and monitored their movement over the years. Its great hands-on education for a hunter to watch deer behaviour throughout the year.
You might call it an ongoing research project – yet I have learned not to get too attached to any of them..even those I have watched from birth into maturity.
Gotta tell ya though, it is a helluva lot of fun!
Outdoorsguy
Great blog Jeff! It’s nice to see a story like this. Odds are not great for them, but hopefully together they can make it through the winter and Andrew can fully recover. Odds are by next fall he’ll be wanting to kick the fawn’s butt when the rut approaches! We all know how best friends get when there’s a lady involved…
With all this ice I thnk we will be seeing more injured deer. Hooves are not very good on ice.
Great pictures and story. Don’t mind trapper we name all our deer too so we know which one we are refering to.
I think if your going to feed the deer it’s ok. Just like your own pet you never run out of food. The deer herd needs it with to many wild dogs around
CGates
@ cagates, that’s debatable google Chronic Wasting Disease
@ Jeff, I understand the attraction of the ongoing research and agree that it provides hours of entertainment and education.
great post it is nice to see that someone in this f up world still has a heart for the animals in the off season wher i was just a kid in glen cairn my father and i use to go out on the frozen pond beside terry fox and feed a lone goose it would lift off and land right in front of us and honk his head off until we pulled out some food and fed him he was injured and did regain his strenth as we were also hiding vitamins inside his food it was quite odd having a goose stick his head in my pockets looking for more the feeling of joy feeding this little guy and then watching him take off and land better each day was so rewarding it was priceless
You got it man!
Just goes to show – and I’ve said it before – that ‘most’ hunters are true animal lovers. Without hunters and conservationists where would most of NA wildlife populations be?
You tell an animal rights person that and they think you’re crazy. “But how can you hunt them in the fall? is the question I’m often asked. I usually reply that I hunt because I love and care for wildlife. Hard to explain but its true. (Man, I wish I could dig up that article of the subject of ‘why we hunt’….the writer hit the nail on the head. Where’s my Research Assistant when I need him…Chessy, get on that will ya)
Thanks for the note, mike!
Outdoorsguy
hi jeff also on a good note this year with the city of ottawa we would constantly get ducks stuck in our pond due to the large size on the pond the small chicks can’t get out so we have to carefully pick them up with a pool net very carefully put them in a milk carton the plastic box type and slowly walk them to a nearby pond all this while the mother is quacking and checking out her babies maiking sure they are all in the box it is so funny because we would have to stop every 100 feet to let the female hen catch her breath then show her that all her babies were still in the box once near the pond we would dump out the chicks and watch the mother chase all of the male mallards away it was quite interesting on how protective a female hen can be this year we will try to film it and send it in. in short this action does give you a sense of giving back by saving the lives of these helpless little ducklings and repopulating they’re species.
Be careful there Mike..you’re getting wayyyy too caring!
Quick question…does the CITY get you to take care of this because you have wildlife experience..or is this part of their mandate?
Outdoorsguy
Mike I am assuming you meant large (steep) sides of the pond. The size of the pond itself should have no relevancy.
Jeff, I googled “why we hunt” and found it (you should try it ;-). I also have it saved on my PC from a previous post, but a link is easier to share.
http://www.cic-wildlife.org/index.php?id=16
I’m not trying to take your job Chessy ;-)… here it is Jeff: http://www.cic-wildlife.org/index.php?id=16
Thanks Gents…I appreciate the help. Oh, I know how to Google…its just a lot more fun when someone else does it for you.
I have to read that later
Outdoorsguy
the pay sucks
t happens almost every year. I sit on a ridgetop in September, hunting elk somewhere in the Rockies. Flocks of geese fly high overhead in V formation, headed south to their wintering grounds. The honking seems to touch my very soul, and I’m not embarrassed when my eyes begin to tear, even if I’m with someone. But my mood inexplicably changes as I fast-forward to an anticipated day in November when I’ll be lying among decoys, trying my best to shoot a limit of geese out of the sky.
That I can experience two such diametrically opposed emotions in practically the same moment is, I believe, the biggest enigma in hunting. How can we love and admire a wild animal one minute and look forward to taking its life the next? I cannot completely answer that question, although I’ve heard it discussed many, many times. I’ve never heard or read a succinct explanation, and I don’t believe it can be explained in simple terms, though several philosophers have tried. It’s far too complex an issue.
We hunt for many reasons. Early on I learned that outings with my dad, grandfather, uncles and cousins resulted in a delicious rabbit and squirrel feast. Fifty years later, I still love the taste of the wild game I bring home–any kind of game. To be sure, the consumptive aspect of hunting, that of bringing the quarry to the table, is one of the primary reasons I hunt. Take the musk ox I hunted recently in late summer. I opted to drive as far north as I could so I’d have fewer flights and would maximize the time that the meat would travel safely with me in my pickup truck en route to my freezer. One of my biggest fantasies was fulfilled when I shot my first bighorn sheep and cooked the ribs over a campfire to see if Jack O’Connor was right when he said sheep was the best wild meat he’d ever eaten. My concerns over hunting in Africa were dispelled when I learned firsthand that every ounce of the quarry is utilized.
Since I’m intensely focused on the culinary aspects of the animals I hunt, I have no problem shooting a forked-horn deer or a spike bull elk, and I won’t apologize for it. That’s not to say I won’t hold out for a so-called trophy if I’m hunting in a trophy area and think I have a pretty good chance of getting one. I believe I speak for most of us when I say that a 10-point whitetail is a lofty objective but a lesser buck will do. And if that’s not possible, a doe may suffice. Not many of us are pure “trophy hunters.” I know a few. Most of them go on high-dollar hunts where the antler score means everything. The rest of us are mainly interested in simply bringing home any legal deer, elk or whatever species we’re hunting. My job as a hunting writer often pressures me to tag the biggest animal I can find. That’s really not me, but I do feel a sense of it being my duty. That’s why I’m most happy when I can literally walk out the front door of my home, hike up the mountain and shoot a cow elk–no cameras, no obligations, no…
no expectations, just me and the mountain and the elk.
THE CHALLENGE
I love the many challenges of the hunt. I live in Wyoming, and two years ago I drew a tag to hunt bighorn sheep in my home state. I had several invitations from outfitter pals to hunt with them but I wanted to hunt my ram on foot and alone. To me, the exploration of new country, walking ridges I’d never walked before, working my way up over avalanche chutes and steep canyons, was an exciting mini-adventure. I remember standing on a lofty peak after a grueling 10-mile hike and looking across the most incredible mountain scenery in the Rockies. I sat for a long, long time and soaked up the view. I knew I could never explain my feelings about what I saw and felt.
Last year I drew a Utah moose tag. I turned down offers of assistance and hunted the moose solo. I’ll never forget that hunt, or the pain and frustration of single-handedly transporting my moose, piece by piece, to my pickup truck. There’s a tremendous sense of accomplishment when you overcome adversity and do it your way. That, in itself, is one of the reasons I hunt.
The mental challenge and physical skills needed to hunt well turn me on, too. Calling in a bull elk or rattling up a whitetail buck with no help from anyone is exhilarating. The whole process of setting up, making the correct sounds, receiving and interpreting the response from the quarry and reacting correctly to make a clean kill is what it’s all about.
I also love the competitive challenge. I like hunts where heavy pressure requires me to hunt smart, whether I’m after a whitetail buck in New York or a bull elk in Colorado. The ability to beat dismal odds of 20 percent or less to fill your tag instills a heady pride, one where you can pat yourself on the back and wear a big smile all the way home.
CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE
Those of us who love to shoot find hunting the perfect way to fulfill that desire while enjoying the bounty and traditions of hunting. I’ve hunted doves most of my life, but last year I experienced my first-ever classic Southern dove shoot. There were about a hundred of us. We started with a group prayer, then tore into barbecued pig, potato salad and sweet tea before heading to the fields. It was fun, not only the shooting but the camaraderie as well.
I’m fortunate to have spent most of my life in the woods–5 years earning degrees in forestry and wildlife, 15 years as a forester and wildlife biologist and 24 years as a full-time hunting writer. Yet despite a lifetime in the outdoors, I still yearn to hunt, more than ever, whether it’s new country or old country, where every ridge and valley holds a memory. As someone who hunts more than 160 days a year, I’m often asked if it ever grows old. My answer is, “Absolutely not!” I still thrill at the prospect of annual trips with old pals, like the Iowa deer hunt where I can’t wait to climb into the familiar tree stand each December; or the South Dakota pheasant hunt where I…
I love to walk the cattails along my farmer buddy’s lake; or the Colorado elk hunt where I climb a damnable mountain, hoping to spot an elk in a meadow below; or the Wyoming turkey hunt where I can almost always count on roosting a bird on my favorite ridge every afternoon. These are rituals, traditions that excite me to the point that I don’t sleep well the night before each hunt.
A TASTE OF FREEDOM
Another major reason I love to hunt is that hunting offers me total freedom to do exactly what I want to do and make my own decisions in a world untrammeled by the chaos of society. Think about that. Other than wildlife laws and regulations, there are no governing “rules” when we hunt, aside from the ethical ones we impose on ourselves. In golf you must follow a set course; in bowling, tennis or any other sport, you must adhere to strict criteria. When you drive you must follow a road. In society you are expected to follow certain rules of behavior. But in the woods, you’re out there by yourself, making your own decisions, perhaps contending with severe weather, insects, snakes, perilous obstacles, rugged and treacherous terrain, avoiding becoming lost and essentially taking care to keep yourself safe and comfortable. You carry a firearm or razor-sharp arrows, and a careless move can change your life in a heartbeat. You answer to no one–no bosses, spouses, parents or siblings. You are free, finally! The rest of the world be damned for that precious window of time when you can enjoy the wildness, the sounds, the smells and the sights of a world so far removed from our everyday lives.
Who among us doesn’t thrill to the birth of a new morning, as the dark of night turns to murky gray and finally, very slowly, to a glorious sunrise as the sun peeks over the eastern horizon? As we sit there witnessing that magical transformation, we hear the first bird chirp, and perhaps the crowing of a distant barnyard rooster or the barking of a farmer’s dog. There is a special satisfaction in knowing that most of the rest of the world around us isn’t hearing those sounds. It’s all good, whether we squeeze the trigger, release the arrow or go home with just a memory.
hahaha… sorry posting twice, I seemed like my first post didn’t work.
No prob GPG, anytime you comment with a link included…it goes straight to my spam folder. I often look there for wayward comment so no worries, I eventually find them.
Here is that article in question…Dr. Eaton certainly hits the nail on the head with this one:
Why We Hunt
By Randall L. Eaton, Ph.D.
We hunt because we love it, but why do we love it so?
As an inherited instinct, hunting is deeply rooted in human nature. Around the world in all cultures the urge to hunt awakens in boys. They use rocks, make weapons or sneak an airgun out of the house to kill a bird or small mammal. In many cases the predatory instinct appears spontaneously without previous experience or coaching, and in the civilized world boys often hunt despite attempts to suppress their instinct.
The fundamental instinct to hunt may link up with the spiritual. An analogy is falling in love in which eros, the sexual instinct, connects with agape or spiritual love. Initiation on the path of love changes our life irreversibly. Henceforth, we shall know the meaning of our authentic love experienced with the totality of our being.
When we fall in love, the instinctive or primal self merges with the spiritual. It is a vertical convergence of subconscious to superconscious, lower to higher.
Hunting is how we fall in love with nature. The basic instinct links up with the spiritual, and the result is that we become married to nature. Among nature pursuits, hunting and fishing connects us most profoundly with animals and nature. As Robert Bly said in his best-selling book Iron John only hunting expands us sideways, “into the glory of oaks, mountains, glaciers, horses, lions, grasses, waterfalls, deer.”
Hunting is a basic aspect of a boy’s initiation into manhood. It teaches him the intelligence, beauty and power of nature. The young man also learns at a deep emotional level his inseparable relationship with nature as well as his responsibility to fiercely protect it.
Essentially, hunting is a spiritual experience precisely because it submerges us in nature, and that experience teaches us that we are participants in something far greater than man. Ortega y Gasset, the Spanish philosopher, described the hunter as the alert man. He could not have said it better. When we hunt we experience extreme alertness to the point of an altered state of consciousness. For the hunter everything is alive, and he is one with the animal and its environment.
Though the hunter may appear from the outside to be a staunch egotist dominating nature, on the inside he is exactly the opposite. He identifies with the animal as his kin, and he feels, as Ortega said, tied through the earth to it. The conscious and deliberate humbling of the hunter to the level of the animal is virtually a religious rite.
While the hunt is exhilarating and unsurpassed in intrinsic rewards and emotional satisfactions, no hunter revels in the death of the animal. Hunters know from first-hand experience that “life lives on life,” as mythologist Joseph Campbell said. The hunter participates directly in the most fundamental processes of life, which is why the food chain is for him a love chain. And that is why hunters have been and still are, by far, the foremost conservationists of wildlife and wild places, to the benefit of everyone.
Today as for countless millennia proper initiation to hunting engenders respect for all life, responsibility to society, even social authority, and spiritual power. It develops authentic self-esteem, self-control, patience and personal knowledge of our place in the food chain. According to Dr. Don T. Jacobs, author of Teaching Virtues, “hunting is the ideal way to teach universal virtues,” including humility, generosity, courage and fortitude. As I said in The Sacred Hunt, “Hunting teaches a person to think with his heart instead of his head. That is the secret of hunting.”
Consequently, the most successful programs ever conducted for delinquent boys have focused on hunting. The taking of a life that sustains us is a transformative experience. It’s not a video game. Hunting is good medicine for bad kids because it is good medicine for all kids.
Hunting is a model for living. When we hunt we discover that we are more than the ego. That our life consists of our ego in a mutually interdependent and transcendent relationship with nature. We keep returning to the field because for us hunting is a dynamic ritual that honors the animals and the earth on which we depend both physically and spiritually.
While interviewing Felix Ike, a Western Shoshone elder, I asked him, “What kind of country would this be if the majority of men in it had been properly initiated into hunting?” He replied, “It would be a totally different world.”
In a world imperiled by egoism and disrespect for nature, hunting is morally good for men and women, boys and girls. Hunters understand the meaning in Lao Tzu’s statement,
The Earth is perfect,
You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it,
You will ruin it.
If you try to hold it,
You will lose it.
Some aboriginal peoples believe that the Creator made us perfect, too, and that He made us to be hunters, dependent on nature and close to the earth. Like Narcissus, civilized humanity has fallen in love with itself and turned its back on its hunting companions and its animal kin. Beware the teaching of the ages summarized in this admonition from Loren Eiseley, “Do not forget your brethren, nor the green wood from which you sprang. To do so is to invite disaster.”
Disaster looms over us now as we wage endless battles with anti-hunters who do not understand that we are the tribe of wild men and women whose hearts hold the promise for recovery of proper relationship to the animals and earth. If we should lose hunting a far greater disaster will befall nature, society and the human spirit.
@Trapper I know what CWD is but if all they get is hay it shouldn’t hurt because its only dried grass
good thread, been away for a while, I also feed deer a little bit of bird seed every winter at my cottage, not much, but just enough to give them a little bit of a taste, not much more than the droppings from a bird feeder, they love it and I like to think I’m helping them, and I keep it up till the new spring growth starts
The only real threat from CWD is the gross overreaction that it is a serious threat. How can a disease with an infection rate less than .5% at its worst be such a threat?
CWD propaganda has been used as a lever to introduce draconian laws that have proven to be 100% ineffective (urine based lure ban in Ontario as an example).
Colorado where CWD was first found over 30 years ago monitors the disease but does little else is still one of North America’s primary hunting destinations.
i agree rick , CWD has been a huge overreaction by the mnr…. with numbers being so low. their focus and $$$$$ should be elsewhere .
That’s right guys…and I know from my dealings with Terry Rohm of Tinks, that CWD and the use of natural deer scents have never been connected. That company looked to the research of a Doctor who concluded that CWD cannot be spread through bottle deer scents. Nevertheless, that company, along with others went to work developing a synthetic scent marketed to places like NS and ON.
Like Shakespeare said…”Much ado about nothing..”
Outdoorsguy
glad i still can use my natural scent for just taking pictures ….. the mnr cant stop that so it makes no scents at all… lol
Thats right Chessy, and besides that, doesnt the law state that natural scent cannot be sold in Ontario. But what if the scent was
purchased elsewhere?
Outdoorsguy
If you get a chance, check this out:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/uncategorized/vote-keebler-for-small-business-of-the-year/
Outdoorsguy
Jeff it is legal to sell natural scent in Ontario. You just can not legally use it for hunting. Any other use is legal.
The MNR can only impose and enforce hunting regulations is the reason for the convoluted law.
OK Rick..and as Chessy suggested..it could be used for scouting purposes or as an attractant for your trailcams.
Or would that be considered hunting…I guess they really didn’t think this thru as natural scents may actually be used MORE in scouting in Ontario, than it is for hunting!
Outdoorsguy
All you crossbow people out there will appreciate this:
For his 80th birthday, my father is buying himself an Excalibur Exomax crossbow from the Hunting & Fishing Store in Richmond. He wasn’t sure what to get for moose hunting, then after doing some research we concluded that Excalibur was the way to go.
The Exomax is one mean machine too…225 lbs at 350 fps..now that’s incredible. My only concern is my Dad handling such a machine at his age. He’s in top shape though, but I hear cocking(or releasing them, I should say) takes both strength and coordination.
Any thoughts??
Outdoorsguy
Great bow. If he buys the Exomax package, it comes with the string cocking aid. It works great. My daughter can load and unload our bow no problem. Using the cocking aid also positions the string properly in the locking mechanism for firing, and this gives you even more accurate firing most of the time..
Hey jaye…I’m not sure if he got the package or not, I wasnt actually with him at the time, but that sounds like one heck of a good tool!
Im excited for him to get shooting..
Outdoorsguy
you should buy him a crankaroo…. it is a great tool for kids and people that are disabled to use the excalibur crossbow.. it is a lot slower doing this than the cocking aid…. get him to try a cocking aid (the rope one ) at the store to see if he can manage if not buy the crankaroo .. they are expensive but easy on the back… i have 3 crossbows.. exomax older one .. a new exomax 2 years old and a equonox with thumbhole 2 years old… make sure you get him the scope (the one with the lighting system for low light ) cause with age your eye sight goes and this will help him out … ( maybey i should be a rep for excalubur lol )
also i recived my prize pack today…awsome thanks jeff and tinks for the package .. pictures to follow
Actually the guy in store told me about the crankaroo when I spoke to him on the phone, so maybe the cocking aid is not included. My Dad is a very able man for his age..still splits 18 chord of firewood every year..hehe, but I wouldnt want him to hurt himself with this thing.
Maybe you should be an Excalibur rep Chessy….I guess part-time Research Assisant for me doesn’t pay too well..hehe..glad you got the prods ok. Sounds like you can use them without an issue.so long as its for scouting only.
Outdoorsguy
Another thing…these friggin crossbows aren’t cheap, but I guess they’re great quality and worth the $$
Outdoorsguy
with the deer population crash in my area Jeff (usually by now the orchard is being hammered by deer) i have not seen a one deer track on either side of the 9 foot deer fence. and have not seen to many deer track anywhere so with that . i will be taking my vacation completely south this year. for my daughter and me and this year will be my son hunting south . not going to take a week off to kill a deer when there is very little in the area let them rebuild . so my prize package will be traveling south with me
nope jeff they are not… but if something goes wrong they will replace… no charge… i had a O ring go on my scope i called to ask what skew number it was to replace the o ring at the hardware store. the guy said it was harder for him to find the part number than it was for him to mail me a ring for free. in the mail came 5 o rings no charge . i know guys that have dry fired them and they have replaced the limbs for free. heck my one buddy done it 3 times each time they replaced them no questions asked…..
OK Chess, good to know…and Im sure my father will be happy to hear of such great customer service!
So…dry firing them is a no-no I take it? I’ve heard of people taking old bolts with them and shooting them into the ground before you get down from the tree-stand?
Outdoorsguy
yup, using a old bolt is a good idea for uncocking the bow. i went with the excalibur after i dry fired my brothers compound crossbow by accident. it blew the strings off and screwed up one of the cams. lesson learned.
actually jeff. you cant use a old bolt or a to discharge your crossbow in ontario as it is against the law to have anything in your quiver other than sharp broadheads while deer hunting … so this is a law that you have to be very carful of laws like this
Are you serious Chessy?
Guess it’s a good thing my father only hunts in QC then…I had better check on that reg over there too.
Outdoorsguy
YES Jeff there is wording that you must only possess sharp unsurated ect ect for deer hunting … i know i know that you can walk out of the wood and think if warden stops me and ask me what i am doing i say small game hunting because you have field points or a blunt for uncocking your bow.. but when stopped the first thing said is what you hunting for …. DEER your toast if warden wants to get you …. its a law that is there but seldom enforced …but i dont take the chance
Really simple to”let down” a crossbow using the string cocking aid .Your dealer will show you how. I have an excalibur exocet. Been moose archery hunting for 30 years,last 7 with the excal and have got 2 with it, last one had a 52 inch rack. For me its excalubur or nothing as customer service has been second to none.Loved my compound and took moose with it also but old age and arthritis have made me switch. Darn now you got me thinking of next year already !
Thanks bob m, I guess he’ll need to play with the new crossbow to see what is most comfortable. Im really glad to hear all the positive reviews on this bow. You see, my Dad has been moose rifle hunting for almost 60 years and having to travel far north to pursue them. We have a solid moose population in our deer woods, which is practically in his back door…cept there is only a bow and crossbow season there. He can now moose hunt out of our deer camp only 15 minutes from home..a lot safer than travelling 7 hours north.
Outdoorsguy
Jeff,
I predict that someday you will become a reformed hunter, and will appreciate your ruminant friends armed only with a camera. It’s ok, it happens to a lot of hunters and they are fine with the transformation.
Such a softy! I knew that you had this compassionate side. We are more alike than I suspected! 🙂
I, too, enjoy feeding “my” elk. She comes to my bird feeder daily, and sleeps behind my barn with the goats and sheep during the day. She jumps the fence easily to be in with them. I bring them in at night., but shes there in the morning, and she greets me with a little bleating sound. I feed her there as well, and if I don’t feed her first she’ll come to the front door. ( if the door happens to be open, she’ll stick her head inside) The horses are mildly interested in her, and will nicker to her as if she is one of their buddies.
I find it fascinating to observe animals interacting with each other, especially when they are different species. Of course, we humans can always learn a lot from our fellow mammals, after all, we are not that far apart.
Hey Carol, good to hear from you again. So, I guess we really are kindred spirits after-all..hehe
Yes, I am a softy and do love animals…but I’m also an avid hunter and conservationist, and I don’t really see that changing. For me, I believe being an animal lover and a hunter is not mutually exclusive. From what I’ve seen, most of us here are the same way.
Neat that you’ve got elk in your back yard…I’m envious!
Outdoorsguy
Here’s the latest Blog Post:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/conservation/asian-carp-barrier-talks-long-time-coming/
Outdoorsguy
definitely recommend the excalibur jeff , my grandfather uses one at 80yrs young and he also uses the crankaroo its alot easier than the string caulking aid .they are pretty much bullet proof and to boot they are made in CANADA ..
Hey matt, that’s good to hear…I see the new crankaroo goes for around $150…not too bad…would make a good father’s day present.
Outdoorsguy
P.S. Btw, I just added a couple of new pics sent-in by Carol K..seems she has a large ungulate feeding in her back yard!
awesome pics carol man id love to see one of those beauties in my yard ..
This week’s Outdoors Column…sorry its a day late:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/02/02/outdoors-keep-rover-under-wraps
Outdoorsguy
P.S. Btw, the deer at my place disappeared for almost 2 days after being chased by a dog. I never did find the dog owner and the dog has not returned. It’s apparent the deer were run pretty hard though, Andrew’s limp was worse than ever when we returned!
Seems wile e coyote is back in the Limelight!
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/hunting/animal-rights/ottawa-coyotes-more-popular-than-ever/
Outdoorsguy