Thursday, June 18, 2009

Berry Pickin' Experience

Today I was out gathering gooseberries to stock some freezers for the long, cold winter ahead. At least the fruit of summer can bring a glimmer of hope when it is to bless-ed cold outside that you would rather be sitting by the fireplace. I am searching for the "Right" size to pick. Silly me...then I finally decide that to hurry the process along any size will do to fill a pie. As I stood on a deer run below the rim of a hill a white-tailed doe came into view. I surprised her, scared the "Snort" out of her you could say. She stood trying to get my attention for a few minutes, but when I didn't move she took off in the other direction. Continuing to work my way up the slope I had another encounter...A young fawn sprung up from hiding and bolted away. I had revealed the hiding spot of a newer member of the Timber Life deer family, the second encounter in five days. My presence on the block just wasn't appreciated... There was a flashback to the second deer shotgun season last winter. I was snuggled inside the limbs of a fallen tree. Every now and then I would stand up to see if I could get a visual on any mature deer in close proximity and get the blood flowing in my legs. The older ones stayed across the ravine to the south, there was activity to the east of my location, a young deer that seemed to always be in that very spot. The funny thing was every time I stood up it would in turn stand up and move ever so slightly further to the east. I know that it isn't good to speak but I had to reassure the little critter I wasn't going to be after it that year.... Do you think it could become a generational birthing nursery??? ;)

I am not sure if this is the fawn I have been seeing...The doe was initiating it into jumping fences around my deer food sample plots early today. This isn't where I saw the baby yesterday but wanted to share anyway. ;)