Deer Stories continued.................. What do Deer think ? It seems like a frivolous question and maybe it is, but the more I see these amazing critters the more I am convinced deer know a lot more about us than we do about them. Now I know deer are deer, but there is something about the deer in Shaver lake thats different.

Don't tell me they don't think either. All you need do is look that beauty in the eye and see the twinkle looking back at you to know there is something there that knows something you don't. And tell me this, how do they know the lab isn't coming out. I was looking out my Shaver Lake living room window this morning when six beauties matrialized ( it is amazing that you can be looking right at them, not see them and then suddenly poof they are there) as if they were beamed down from the star ship enterprise. Our lab had only come in from her morning patrol five minutes earlier. And she didn't even do one of her normal morning racing here and there routines where she is convinced she will find a deer behinfd every cedar tree. And never does. I have to agree with her I know they are there to, but some how they are invisible unless they want to be seen.

Deer are known for being able to almost see through walls and I believe they can hear a Sugar Pine straw gently float to the ground at a hundred yards. I will admit that Shaver and Huntington Lake deer may be a little different than your every day foothill and common mountan deer. Any way, back to my morning herd. I put out a pumpkin to see if it would interest the deer. I know they can't stand it. They don't want me to know they haven't figured out a way to open it yet. I saw them in a group eye talking about the pumpkin this morning. These deer aren't immune from a touch of vanity and pride. The big ones kept pointing their ears at each other and I finally figured out one was saying opening a pumpkin is so easy a turkey could do it. I don't know if you know much about wild turkeys, but there ain't nothing dumb about those feathered critters. Thus you can seen the vanity coming to the surface here. Now it could be they were just amusing themselves at my expense, or maybe they were just trying to impress the little ones. Right after the largest doe pointed her ears my way the biggest fawn started pawing away or maybe I should say hoofung away at the pumpkin.

After a few minutes they all acted like they lost interest in the pumpkin and started to file over to our cabin. Don't think for a minute I don't know what they are up to. This is really a poor charade. I know they couldn't wait for me to head into the real estate office so they could all go back and get serious on opening that pumpkin. How do the deer know the lab won't suddenly burst out the front door into their midst. They know ........I know that much. I guess its possible I may have said something without realizing it to Buddy our Flame Point cat about leaving, though I sure don't remember saying anything. That would explain how they knew I wouldn't be leaving for ten minutes. A couple of the bigger does even had a go at my black oil Sun Flower seed feeder for maybe five minutes and then leisurely wandered into a cedar stand. One moment you are looking at them and the next instant you aren't.

It couldn't have been a minute before I opened the front door...... they were gone. No trace and no evidence except for the pawed pumpkin. How do the deer do that ? I am starting to believe there may be hobbits or elves about. Everone knows an elf can talk to animals and hobbits have a tremendous respect for deer ever since Bilbo and the dwarves were lured from their path in Fangorn Forest and nearly starved to death. It was pity that led the deer to send the wood elves to find the lost and starving folk. So hobbits have warm feelings to this day for the deer, though it was the that actually led them from the path. Remember how strongly he admonished the hobbit and dwarves that to leave the path would lead to disaster and maybe worse. I guess being saved from starvation and spiders was enough for the hobbits to forgive the deer. The dwarves on the other hand have real hard time forgetting what the deer did and to this day you will never see deer invited into the many tunnels the drarves have delved under the mountains. I know no one in these parts has ever seen or even heard of deer and dwarves socializing.

This Deer Story will be continued.............