No need for the woods?

[georgerkahn]

I saw very few deer this hunting season past, no doubt a result of my getting-bummer leg's keeping me from venturing too far. Looks like deer missed me, as I missed seeing them -- this good-sized critter spent a bit of time in my yard, along with her off-spring yesterday. As a side note, they were both very respectful to the garden, keeping some distance from it. (But, then again, wife & I were out and (at least mama deer) saw us watching... :))245183245184
geo

[frkelly74]

There is something about seeing Deer or wildlife in general isn't there? There they are out there living their lives with no need of people to help them along, actually living in spite of people perhaps, And doing well! I was at my wifes aunts last week and two fawn came racing out into the yard and just ran around playing tag or something. One ran right toward me and pulled up short when it saw me and just stared for a minute. I watched them for as long as they were there to watch.

[RKJ]

I see many more deer (and squirrels,rabbits) in my yard than in the woods. Yesterday, I saw a fawn nursing on mom. Then it's twin came up and also another for that I think was the does yearling. It was pretty cool.

[bedbugbilly]

Great photos! Even tjpigjn we've moved from our place of 45 years on the farm in to a condo in town, our backyard of the condo backs up to farmland. The deer have been coming and eating our hostas like they are a delicious salad! The wife sprayed them with a repellent and it seems to be working - but I sort of feel lie we're "intruders" on land they once ate on and bedded down. I hunted for many years - never shot one - couldn't. I enjoyed watching them so much and just didn't have the heart even though I remember some beautiful bucks that could have been taken. When people have asked me if I ever deer hunted, I just smile and say "yes - I had some my best naps while hunting" - I'd go out before daylight - sit against a tree or under a bunch of brush and usually fell asleep before the sun started coming up. ore than once I would be awakened by the snorting of deer. I used to hunt up in the U.P. with my F in L too - I remember one time I was sitting near a pond and when a big buck came through, I totally ignored it - i was having too much enjoyment watching a couple of beavers working in the pond. Wildlife - you have to enjoy it!

[jsizemore]

It's been pretty dry here (central NC). Corn plants are 3' tall and making 1 ear of corn. Soybeans are 3-6" high and the deer are hitting the fields at dusk and dawn. Doe has to make milk so they're going to eat whatever wherever.

[Texas by God]

My wife and I are watching a hen Turkey in the hay field this morning. She is nesting in some river weeds. Before I cut I will locate and flag her nest. We watch deer most every day. We name some of them.

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[Mal Paso]

Most every trip down my driveway I have to wait for deer to get out of the way. The worst is when they run ahead of the car. The Quail have been prolific, I've seen 14 chicks in one family. Walked out my door yesterday and flushed about 60 from the garden next to me. Rabbits are new, all over this year. We don't have coyotes so I guess mountain lions will prosper. LOL

[6bg6ga]

I used to see them in town in the early morning. Since moving I see rabbits and quail.

[Beagle333]

I thought quail were extinct. I had them here 23 years ago, but they disappeared fast (within 3 years), even though I had spread some birdseed in the locations where I had seen them foraging. I used to hunt them as a young man, for they were plentiful, but no more.

Great pictures, George! I have a small herd here, ranging from 3 to 11 every night, that come to a feeder that we maintain year-round and there's a game cam there most of the time. We get some nice pictures. They live in peace, no one hunts in my close vicinity.

[Tom W.]

I haven't seen any quail since the coyotes became so plentiful.

[davidheart]

I watched a documentary which explained that deer actually thrive in a suburban setting because the natural predators are driven away by people. The actual problem deer face in this situation is overpopulation.

Nice pictures though!

[jsizemore]

We used to have plenty quail till development around the farm. Those folk's cats got rid of them.

I name some of the deer on the farm too. Usually chops, loin and hamburger are the biggies.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

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Click to enlarge

Taken at 6:55 a.m. this morning. Four at the salt lick. One spike. Smallish -- all last year's fawns. One larger forkhorn is also a frequent visitor.

[PbHurler]

The Quail have been prolific, I've seen 14 chicks in one family. Walked out my door yesterday and flushed about 60 from the garden next to me. LOL

That'll get your heart started! :shock:

I sure miss quail hunting.

[OldBearHair]

Here in Southeast Texas they tell me that where Fire Ants live, they kill the baby quail as soon as they hatch while still wet.
They also claim that Fire Ants eat chiggers and if that is true, it is the only good thing they do. We have no chiggers, seed ticks and few ticks here. (Sam Houston National Forest. ) In New Mexico two species of quail, Blue Quail and Scaled Quail. Once a friend was quail hunting, I went along carrying my bow.. A quail came up on a straightaway flight and the friend took the shot. Then turned to me and said he saw something that got in the way of the quail's wing and wondered what it was.. I told him it was my arrow and I missed the quail the same as he did.. We both got a laugh out of that.

[km101]

Here in Southeast Texas they tell me that where Fire Ants live, they kill the baby quail as soon as they hatch while still wet..

And all the fire ant poisoning has helped to wipe out the quail in E Texas! We had lots of quail ~40 years ago but I haven’t seen a bobwhite in almost that long. Now you have to be West of I 35E to find quail.

But even though we have acquired some neighbors over the years, the deer still come to our place to eat out of the garden. We don’t mind much as they are fun to watch!

[lightman]

I've always loved being in the woods. I try to arrive in the early morning when its still dark and hear it when they wake up. I try to stay out late, past dark, to hear them go to bed. I almost would rather see the deer acting like deer than to shoot one. Although I usually shoot a few, and we eat deer meat all year long. I've taught my Sons to not be afraid of the darkness, and I'm working on the Grandkids now. Although I'm a Churchgoer and a believer, I feel closer to God when I'm in the woods.

[MaryB]

I have a doe and fawn visiting the back yard. She has stayed out of the garden so far and just been munching the wild kale that came up from plants I tore out of the garden and tossed out in my wild patch. They were loaded with seed so I have a patch of it I don't have to care for! Fawn came right up to me one day, surprised me when a nose bumped mu rear as I was weeding. Mama snorted and the fawn gave her a look that said "what? I want to make friends with this thing". Fawn let me pet it then I shooed it back to mom. I do not feed them at all so they are wild...

[Tom W.]

And the USDA just euthanized ( a polite word for killed ) 200 Canada geese tho ouher day at Moon Lake here in Phenix City because the city said that they were overpopulated and wouldn't migrate. People were complaining about all of the goose poop on the sidewalk around the lake. When I drove by the other day all that was there were five or six black and white ugly ducks an one mallard. Kinda sad, but I'm pretty sure that it will repopulate soon. Now I wonder what the coons will eat, as there are no nests to rob.......

[nagantguy]

Our mower path to the back “40” is a real draw for critters- and two slings in a row we were rewarded with a large doe who would stand in the path to nurse her twin fawns almost every evening, so often that my 15 year old daughter doesn’t know that it’s a rare thing to see!

[Shepherd2]

We live in a big clearing in the woods in one of the top counties for deer hunting in Ohio. It's a rare day when we don't see at least 1 deer. Sometimes it's 15 at a time. The 2nd day of deer gun season there were 10 does in my front yard at 7 am. We have an overpopulation and they can be hard on the plants and the small garden. I spray repellent on the wife's flowers but with the all the rain this year it gets washed right off. Boy do they like hostas.

Our drive is a quarter mile long S curve and if we home after dark we immediately hit the high beams. There are deer all over and we always have some run in front of us.

With all the bother they cause we still get a lot of enjoyment from watching them. There are lots of fawns now and my wife has taken some great pictures.

People ask me where is good place to hunt around here. I tell my front porch in the morning and the back deck in the evening.

[Thin Man]

I had a really bad hunting season last year, saw zero deer in the woods. This was a first for me so this year has to be better. At least it can't be worse. How could one see less than zero! Even now I'm planning a maintenance trip to the camp in anticipation of this coming season.

[Handloader109]

Fire ants kill anything laying on the ground. Quail nest on ground and they eliminated the quail in the deep south. Hunted them when I was young in MS but by early 80s they were gone. Do have some here in NW Arkansas, and thankfully no fire ants..... yet. Too cold in winter. But they do adapt

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[Randy Bohannon]

I love the woods,I’m in them every day. I have a new partner that is the most diligent,fun I’ve had in years. Seeing the world through a 10 week old French Brittany puppy’s eyes , as almost as good as seeing it with a child.
Meet Mr Paxton Sur Le Delevan. Best bird dogs I’ve ever had, they smoke the big dogs.

[Idaho45guy]

I live in a small town of 1200 and the deer are like rabbits. Drives my dog nuts, lol.

I pulled into work one early morning a couple of years ago and snapped this picture of a nice buck in the parking lot...

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[Outpost75]

We have deer in the yard all the time. And occasionally bear.

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[blackthorn]

We have deer in the yard all the time. And occasionally bear.

245392

So do we. Last year I looked out my office window and saw about a 2 year old black bear standing on its back legs looking in the window at the computer screen. I have counted up to 14 deer at one time on the back lawn. As I am typing this there is a large Mule doe on the bank behind the house.

[beemer]

Haven't seen any quail around here in 40 years. Back in the early 60's I loved to hear then call, especially in the evening. We called the bob whites because that's what they sounded like. Always liked to hear whippoorwills too but don't hear then much anymore either, maybe it's just bad hearing.

[Bazoo]

We have resident deer on the farm. We let our 18 acres go back wild other than a path I keep mowed back to the rifle range. Plenty of folks round here turn up their noses at our property. Saplings and briars ain't attractive I spose. I've seen bobcat, grey fox, deer, turkey, occasional quail, squirrel, and rabbit, and seen a snipe once. Not enough quail to hunt. Seen a coyote but it's not common to hear them close.

Critters do love a mowed path for some reason. Deer seem to know we like them, I commonly shoot with them in the yard. They pay it no mind. Got a doe with twins this year. Ain't got to touch one yet.

We don't let others intrude or hunt our property, and only occasionally I'll walk around on it in other than normal spots. Although I do want to put a path in around the fenceline some day.

I too feel closer to God when in the woods than in church.