Since deer are once again in the limelight in Missouri, I thought I would provide an update about a particular white-tailed deer I wrote about in the fall of 2019.
There’s a doe that constantly hangs around the property high above the Big Piney River where my wife and I live. She’s an odd sort of deer, probably about six or seven years old, who certainly seems to have her own way of doing things.
Although I’ve seen her accompanied by a couple of close acquaintances on multiple occasions (likely also does), she’s pretty much a loner and is most almost always by herself. I often see her wandering around alone at every time of year, both day and night, just taking her time as she goes.
She’s not at all skittish and has no obvious fear of humans. If she’s near our long gravel driveway when a car goes by, she doesn’t quickly flee like most deer would but instead takes a few steps further away or just stands still, seemingly in full realization that the passing machine represents no danger. Then she goes back to whatever she was doing — usually eating or just wandering around her forested Ozarks home.
Speaking of eating, this doe is definitely a vegetarian who likes to sample a variety of plants, both wild and stuff stuck in the ground by humans. We’ve had plenty of flowers, vegetables and other flora in the front yard receive unwanted trimming from local deer, and I have no doubt she’s the primary customer on the neighborhood greenery aisle.
Broccoli seems to be a favorite (if we try to grow any next year, it will be behind adequate fencing), but there has been clear evidence of a wide range of tantalizing treats we have unwittingly offered being chomped, including banana peppers, cana lillies, dahlias, basil (of all things) and many more.
Our designated doe also appears to have a sense of humor and sort of mischievous and adventurous personality.
I have a game camera that I attach to various trees around the property, and it has provided several interesting images of middle-of-the-night critter activity, including foxes, armadillos and lots of deer. But a vast majority of the deer photos show our silly doe.
And I don’t believe that’s a coincidence. I think she enjoys making that contraption on the tree trunk flash. Sometimes she’s looking straight at the camera’s lens, as if she somehow knows what’s going on.
She’s like, “hey, it’s me!” And then she’s like, “hey, it’s me again!”
It’s pretty amusing to view all the photos she takes of herself, as she makes the flash occur while posing from pretty much every possible angle.
Of course, any animal that appears more than once on our property will likely encounter Scotty (the Scottie). And of course, he has barked at or chased our doe a few times, but not out of sensing any danger or anything like that, but more out of wanting to impress his humans and make them appreciate the security and potential protection he provides.
Good boy.
Anyway, I enjoy having the same deer being regularly visible around our property. I do wonder why she’s such a loner, but I know it doesn’t matter because she’s obviously healthy, doesn’t appear to be sad or lonely and certainly seems to enjoy her solitude.
Maybe she’ll move on at some point, and maybe even find a friend or two to hang out with. But I’m not sure that’s this doe’s style, and she might just maintain her current routine for years to come.
That would be OK with me. It’s almost like having a big pet that takes care of itself.
