On my most recent hiking trip, I had been searching all through the nature preserve for something interesting, and I think I really found it. It was something unexpected because I was looking for something much smaller.Since you already see the photo, you know that what I found was a deer. But how was that unexpected you ask? It was unexpected partly because I had just seen another black squirrel, and was scanning the forest for another look at it.
As I looked at the trees to my right, I saw what looked like the back end of a big dog. It was standing very still, and I quickly had a feeling it was looking at me. Why was it standing so still though if it was just a dog?
As soon as that thought went into my mind, I began to think it wasn't really a dog. Since I initially thought it was a dog, I began to think it was some sort of canine creature, maybe a coyote. Maybe it was watching me for a very dangerous reason.
That thought quickly left me, because even a coyote shouldn't be a threat to someone as big as me. Then why wasn't the animal moving? As I looked closer, I began to see that the animal was a small deer. The only question I had was why is it's fur so messed up looking?
The animal didn't seem sick or anything like that. It looked perfectly healthy. I've never known much about deer before, so I don't know what is the problem with this one. For now it remains a mystery to me.
On an unrelated note, I have a post coming up about two awards I've recently been awarded. I was going to do a post about them yesterday, and then today. I'm running late and I have run out of time to do the post correctly today, so it should come tomorrow.
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The unexpected does give us surprise. I always get something out of my plan during MyJourney and this make more fun in my simple life.
ReplyDeleteRainfield - The fun we get after these surprises is why it is all worth it.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting hike Ratty. I used to see a lot of deers when I was in Long Island, NY. They would pass by your front yard. When they see a human they would first stay still then ran off as fast as they can.
ReplyDeleteRon - Those Long Island deer probably had a very similar attitude to these. Mine are in the woods though, so they have more hiding places and they feel a little safer.
ReplyDeleteinteresting shot actually, despite the deer being partially hidden in the woods, but the combination of the woods, the light and the deer make it dramatic.
ReplyDeleteoh, i thought i saw a black squirrel too when i hiked last saturday, however, it ran away too fast and i was not able to take it a picture, or maybe i was just imagining the squirrel to be black after reading your posts?
Betchai - It was even more dramatic when I was there. It was hard to tell what I was seeing at first.
ReplyDeleteThose black squirrels seem to be very shy. Yours certainly behaved like one.
You got the hind quarters of the deer...sometimes their fur looks a little ragged after a hard winter and the nutrition they eat. Interesting how he is hiding still, thinking you didn't see him!
ReplyDeleteThe Retired One - It looked healthy other than the fur. It's hiding actually was working well. When that one deer began to finally move, it turned out to be a herd of four. The deer use the trees pretty well there.
ReplyDeleteHi Ratty- sorry I forgot to drop by earlier! I think the deer is probably shedding its winter coat
ReplyDeleteSharkbytes - That's kind of what I guessed. I had a dog once that looked like that every spring.
ReplyDelete