An “En-deer-ing Visit …

Johnny on the Spot … by John Foster …

I came home Saturday afternoon and my wife said we had a tiny deer in the yard.

She said the creature visited while our daughter and son-in-law stopped by.

I think she told me that so I wouldn’t question her vision or recollection.

Later, my wife looked out the front door and said, “He’s back!”

I grabbed my cell phone and trotted out the side gate in our backyard with intentions on snapping a photo or two.

I fully expected the animal to have fled but as I got around the corner, there she was in her spotted fur coat and twitching tail.

I used both sets of pronouns because I hadn’t observed “he-she” coming out of the bathroom and I didn’t ask to see any ID.

The critter strolled up to the storm door window several times as well as the front windows.

I’m pretty sure deer-in-the-wild don’t have mirrors in their bathrooms so I’m sure it was intrigued by the ‘thing’ it was viewing in the reflection in the glass.

On occasion, it made a soft “mewing” sound, that didn’t sound frantic or panicked but I’ sure he-she was concerned.

“He-she” also nibbled on a few of my portulaca blooms.

Eventually, “he-she” stepped off the front porch and walked to within 2 feet of my wife and I in the garage before deciding to walk away to the north.

I quickly bounded to the side gate because the last thing I needed was a deer in my backyard where there’s a 24 foot in-ground swimming pool waiting to catch “him-her”.

I could just imagine trying to fish that critter out of the pool with those 4 spindly legs flailing about.

The gate was secured and we watched our furry visitor trot by the fence in the backyard before he stopped at the storm water run-off and get a sip of water.

Then it was gone.

My wife would like to think it reunited with its’ mother and they are resting safely and comfortably in the wild.

The fact that he came into our yard along a cyclone fence that borders the interstate makes me think otherwise.

It’s called “The Circle of Life”.

This is not the first time we’ve been visited by white-tailed deer sine we’ve lived here.

That same cyclone fence has channeled adult deer down the side of our garage and onto the driveway.

However, this was the first time one got close enough to ring the front door bell.

Fawns have white spots (which our visitor did) and they’re normally born in late May or June.

At birth, they can weigh from 4-8 pounds but they can double that weight in two weeks.

Wildlife officials say most young animals that seem abandoned do not need help.

Often the adults will stay away if there are humans present.

We have more than our share of deer/vehicle collisions.

State wildlife officials say there are about 700,000 deer in the Hoosier and we’re real close to Brown County which has a large population.

That compares to Texas with more than 5 million.

Back in the 1930’s, unregulated hunting dropped the national deer population to about 300,000 but wildlife officials say today’s number is closer to 30 million.

Since last year, deer in Indiana have been found with CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) which is a fatal infectious disease, contagious among deer.

One more reason to not have one for a pet.

Deer in the wild might live 10 years.

The bucks can get up to 175 pounds while the does check in around 120 pounds.

Adults can reach speeds of 35 miles an hour and they can jump 8 feet.

Deer also have a good sense of smell plus keen eyesight and hearing.

Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a deer with glasses. Maybe they prefer contacts.

When I posted pictures of our visitor, I dubbed it “a Bambi wannabe”.

But I could have also used, Rudolph (although the nose was not red) as well as Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (or Donder) and Blitzen.

By the way, the next time this fawn makes a call, I may ask if he’d like to go out for a little treat.

I’ll bet it would enjoy “Deery Queen”.