Report From Deer Country

Ahem (clearing throat).

It is time to submit the annual winter update on the health and happiness of the local whitetail population.

click on the images for a closer look

Most every evening at dusk brings the materialization of anywhere from eight to a couple dozen deer only a few hundred yards north of the house browsing down at the big pond adjacent to Silver Creek.  Ordinarily we don’t see deer gathering in numbers like this.  However, this is farm country and when the crops are off the fields the deer become concentrated in the natural cover for the duration of winter and until green-up in the spring - at which point they begin to disperse.  The annual fawn drop follows shortly thereafter.

You might conclude that a couple of dozen whitetails might make for a tempting target.  Sure, we have the local coyotes but they’re not much match for an adult deer.  We have few if any ‘apex predators’ around here.  While not unheard-of, wolves and black bear are infrequent to rare on the peninsula - and certainly not in sufficient numbers to be regularly problematic.  You don’t hear about a wolf pack taking-out someone’s herd of alpacas or dairy calves.  As a consequence we have a larger than normal deer population.

I share the opinion of people that know more about this than I do that deer numbers remain too high around here.  Don’t take my word for it – you need look no further than the browse lines on the trees for evidence.  Regeneration of new trees in the forest understory suffers too.  Regrowth of cedar is nonexistent.  Such is the result of shoving-aside simple science and biology and allowing politicians with an axe to grind to make one-size, fits-all, deer management decisions.  Bar stool biologists they are.  Sigh.

On the other hand deer hunting is rather spectacular and everyone has a good time, our freezers are filled and the food pantry network benefits on a grand scale.  From my stool I would say to harvest more does and let the little bucks walk – but that’s just one man’s opinion.  I digress.

Back to the state of the local deer herd and their health and happiness.  I am pleased to report that through February - and by all outward appearances - the local whitetails are looking both fat and sassy.

For you city dwellers concerned about your people-habituated deer this winter I would advance the notion that they are likely doing equally well and in many cases better than their wild brethren.  If you live in an urban setting or within the urban-rural interface there is far more deer-friendly edge habitat and an abundance of yummy landscaping for their dining pleasure.  Better yet – many homeowners will grumble in the spring about the deer browsing their hydrangeas and will promptly plant replacements in the buffet line.

In closing I would point out that the days continue to grow longer and the sun is setting further to the west.  Spring turkey hunting is on-deck.