DEER DAMAGE

Mike and I watched a PBS Nature program on whitetail deer recently. Maybe you saw it, too. We were startled when the narrator said that deer are what humans would call legally blind and they navigate their world on their heightened sense of smell and hearing. A little motion is all they see, according to the script.

“Then why do I have to wear camouflage when I hunt?” asked Mike.

Naturally, the deer don’t see to read. I understand that. And of course, they are nocturnal and see better at night.  But having watched the deer at the farm, Mike and I just couldn’t accept that they are mostly blind.

A few days later a plant expert from Fish and Game visited us, and while we stood on the canyon rim, a young doe happened by and stopped to watch us. Really, she was quite close and obviously curious about us. She appeared to move on down into the canyon, but soon she turned up even closer to us on the other side. Discussion ensued with the conclusion that the deer do indeed see – not like humans – but they do see.

I looked up from my spot in the corner of the sofa and spied this buck sitting on top of the hill to the south of the house. As Mike chored around down at the pond, the buck appeared to watch him. Mike said he was plotting what damage he could do in the yard by moonlight. I think he stayed in that spot for an hour, ambling on only when I went out to take the clothes off the line. Since that time, we have again seen him on that hill.

Well, Mike’s comment was prophetic. You’d think with our yard sitting in the midst of acres and acres of garbanzo beans (garbs), the deer could leave my plantings alone just this once. However, they have pruned my prize gooseberry bush. Even though the gooseberry is among plants that are not their favorites, that doesn’t mean they won’t nibble.  They have also nibbled the poplar shoots and over the years have mutilated the trunks. Some folks say never to plant a poplar tree because once they’re established, you can’t get rid of them. That’s exactly why we planted poplars.

We had intended to stay the week at the farm but were lured back yesterday by the call of interesting town-based activities. I guess it was a good thing because after a cool weekend, summer came on Monday. (Today it was 92.) My newly established tomato plants needed water. I tended them carefully and noted their condition yesterday, so I know that the deer damage happened overnight. We aren’t safe anywhere! KW