Revenge of the Deers?

Patrick and I were driving back up to the Vineyard from New York at 4 o'clock this morning, cause we had to make a 7 a.m. ferry. We were somewhere in Connecticut when a very large deer- another buck, but much larger than Friday's and with at least an 8 point rack according to Patrick- ran out in front of my truck. I braked and veered to the right to avoid it, and I would have had the deer not doubled back when it reached the center divider. 

Actually, the deer hit my truck, taking out the left side of the bumper, one headlight, the left front quarter panel and the left front fender. It also dented the hood and bent the driver's side door so much that it only opens about a foot. 

Luckily (?!) Patrick and I were uninjured,  the truck was still drivable and we were able to continue to the Vineyard. We even made our ferry on time. Woohoo.

I had been planning to write a blog post this week about how much I love my truck. It has never let me down, which is more than I can say for any other piece of farm equipment I've ever owned.  It's also really comfortable to drive. Lord, I love that truck.

I'll take a picture of the damage tomorrow so you can see it. 

Now, I'd like to take a moment to apologize to the deer population of the Northeast for whatever it is I have done to earn your wrath. I like deer. Honest, I do. I've never hunted in my life and I couldn't care less when you all come down into my yard and eat every single Tiger Lily. Patrick gets a little miffed about the Tiger Lilies, but as far as I'm concerned, they're all yours.

Truce?

When Animals Attack Your To Do List

Patrick and I went down to the Hudson Valley this weekend with a couple of specific things we wanted to get accomplished. Patrick was going to work on getting the new fencing up for the sheep and goats and while I got all the stuff we wanted to get rid of ready for a yard sale we were planning for Saturday and Sunday.

We'd hired our friend Tim to come over and dig the post holes for the fence with his Bobcat on Friday. Around lunch time, Harry and I went to take the two of them lunch, but when we got there we saw two policemen standing next to two police cars parked in front of the gate and Patrick and Tim up on Tim's flatbed trailer. All four of them were looking at something but I couldn't see what until I got out of my truck. 

Come to find out Patrick and Tim had been working away digging post holes when they saw a buck deer walking towards them. It kept getting closer and closer until it was actually nuzzling Patrick. The buck got more aggressive and eventually chased them up on to the flatbed. Patrick called the town police, and after the dispatcher stopped laughing, she sent two cars over to investigate. Unfortunately, both of the cops were afraid of the deer too, so not much had been resolved when I arrived.

Of course I thought the whole situation was hilarious, but also vexing, because we were paying Tim by the hour and I found out that work had already been held up for two hours! Then I got out of the truck with my camera and the deer came after me. It actually put it's back feet on my back and was trying to push me down. One of the officers pulled his gun and aimed at the deer but I stayed calm and walked over the flat bed and climbed up and back into my truck through the window.

Tim eventually snuck back into the pasture to try to get back to work.


Then the deer chased Patrick over the fence...
and Pat and Tim got back to work while one of the policemen got friendly with the deer.
Eventually, a Department of Environmental Conservation officer arrived to take care of the situation. It turns out that a man who lives in our neighborhood had been feeding this deer since he was baby. The poor deer never learned to be afraid of people. The week before he showed up at our farm he had chased a jogger on our street and tried to mate with her. The DEC had been looking for him since then because they were afraid he would really hurt someone.

Unfortunately this story doesn't end well for the deer. And I was incredibly angry and sad for the rest of the weekend at the silly man who tried to make a wild animal into a pet. BTW- it's illegal in New York to feed deer.

Patrick and Tim did manage to get the rest of the post holes dug before dark,

but we still didn't get the fence finished this weekend.

Looks like it will be another week till we can move the sheep and goats down to New York. Grrrr...