Wild and Free

All good things are wild and free.

~ Henry David Thoreau

Hello, Deerie. Don't be shy.


Come on out into the open. Hunting season ended over a month ago.






Atta boy!






Come get a treat, my beauty.

 




Would you care at all for a carrot? Of course you would.







You're most welcome.


We fed them deer feed throughout last winter. It was bitter cold and there was lots of snow. So far, the winter's cold has set in later than last year and there have been more natural resources available for these lovely, elegant creatures.

We have also done a bit of research, reading and listening and have learned that for several reasons, it's not such a wise idea to feed the deer. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources advises against it under most circumstances, as do most animal advocates. And though we'd like these beauties to come around for a visit, we sure don't want to do them harm in any way, so we decided against buying commercial deer feed and scooping it out for them each day. Besides, a few of our neighbours are feeding them regularly so adding to that during a normal winter would be overkill.

That doesn't mean that they don't get the occasional carrot treat - though only a couple of them seem to like them. Neither does it mean that we have stopped feeding the birds. And where there is spilled bird seed, there are deer who come to clean up. We still have several come by each day. They seem to forgive us for the lack of last year's gourmet offerings.


This guy is a clever one.






We sprinkle bird seed along the top of the railing for birds and squirrels alike. Of course some of them are messy eaters and so it falls to the deck below. It just so happens that the deck is at a perfect height to allow the deer access by poking his nose in between the bars.







Opening wide...






And licking up all the seed.

He's here doing that every day.


Such beautiful creatures.

They're the best part of winter up here in the country.