The Deer Scatterer
or, "Did you ever chase chickens?"
Yesterday I tossed a bushel of crab apples over the back dog fence and into deer territory. Our apple tree was literally splitting branches due to the weight of the fruit, and I'd rather see it go to my hooved friends than rot somewhere. So after some careful pruning (hack-hack) I took all the trimmings out to the edge of the woods, and put all the drops from the truck bed over the fence.
Today, while with The Huntress, I chanced upon maybe seven deer dining on the apples. She suddenly notices this pack of giant brown dogs and I laughed and told her "Not so brave when there's a herd," and then she bolted at them: poor things, did they ever scatter! They fanned out in a semi-circle, tails up, leaping and zig-zagging in bounds, and then stopped just inside a wall of shrubbery. She ran the fence, silently, and while they visibly watched from the woods she turned and never gave them another thought.
Brave Huntress! Maybe she just thought it was funny.
An older photo- "On Patrol"
The quote, of course, is from Lady and the Tramp.
Yesterday I tossed a bushel of crab apples over the back dog fence and into deer territory. Our apple tree was literally splitting branches due to the weight of the fruit, and I'd rather see it go to my hooved friends than rot somewhere. So after some careful pruning (hack-hack) I took all the trimmings out to the edge of the woods, and put all the drops from the truck bed over the fence.
Today, while with The Huntress, I chanced upon maybe seven deer dining on the apples. She suddenly notices this pack of giant brown dogs and I laughed and told her "Not so brave when there's a herd," and then she bolted at them: poor things, did they ever scatter! They fanned out in a semi-circle, tails up, leaping and zig-zagging in bounds, and then stopped just inside a wall of shrubbery. She ran the fence, silently, and while they visibly watched from the woods she turned and never gave them another thought.
Brave Huntress! Maybe she just thought it was funny.
An older photo- "On Patrol"
The quote, of course, is from Lady and the Tramp.