The Deer

[Gaius Millhelm]

Now I know why EW calls this Lurking Deer Farm!

It is the end of normal firearm hunting season for deer in Maine and now Bowhunting-Muzzleloading is allowed only. But for the past few days the deer have been walking all through the estate, escaping the hunters. Exit and I have stalked them with rifle scopes and binoculars but never fired. The logger and his brother have hunted the central ampitheatres (large bowl basins in the middle of the 100 acre estate on either side of the central ridge) we do not think they took any animals.

We have spotted dozens of majestic (is that the right word?) bucks and beautiful does by the hundreds along with many curious little yearlings. I am writing many pages every day and the deer have inspired me to write all kinds of new things.

[WakeUp]

Now I know why EW calls this Lurking Deer Farm!

It is the end of normal firearm hunting season for deer in Maine and now Bowhunting-Muzzleloading is allowed only. But for the past few days the deer have been walking all through the estate, escaping the hunters. Exit and I have stalked them with rifle scopes and binoculars but never fired. The logger and his brother have hunted the central ampitheatres (large bowl basins in the middle of the 100 acre estate on either side of the central ridge) we do not think they took any animals.

We have spotted dozens of majestic (is that the right word?) bucks and beautiful does by the hundreds along with many curious little yearlings. I am writing many pages every day and the deer have inspired me to write all kinds of new things.


This photographer is from Maine.
So this photo could very well have been taken in Maine.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/WakeUpAmerica/Animals/Impressive/deerlick.jpg

I know what you mean about the inspiration one recieves from deer. I have two friends who own land where the deer graze and come fairly close. I love to sing this one sweet Asian melody to them, with the aspiration that they stay safe. They are good listeners. Both of these friends are non-hunters. The deer seem to know that they're safe while on these acres, safe at least from human hunters. There are big wild cats to contend with. My friends grow plants close to the house that deer don't like and let the deer graze among the fruit trees and grass.
Anyway, thanks for sharing about the deer inspiring you to write. Inspiration is like sharing the light of a candle, one light another lights another and so on.

[exitwound]

A familiar scene indeed.

The deer had a haven here.....the logger and his his brother got the landlord's permission (but neglected to get ours before the fact, I had to come upon them on their one day of hunting and talk it out with them personally) and hunted for a day but we don't think they got any animals.

I do a lot of shooting, but it's mostly rimfires and I keep large tracts of the property silent 24/7 as much as possible.

I lust after a Bushmaster -- a 6.8mm SPC Carbine, Predator Special Edition 5.56MM NATO, or maybe a Varmint Special for the extremely long barrel -- but more guns are a far-off notion right now. I'm not even sure how we are going to pay for my medicines, especially now that our car is toast and we need to taken on a ~$10,000 loan to get a new one capable of safely transporting our son/children/relatives around on treacherous Maine roads in rough weather.

Still, with the beauty we are privileged to experience here.....I wouldn't have it any other way. I just need to find new ways to support myself, and fast at that.

[rastaman]

Fascinating topic. The deer have moved to the Yukon over the years. They are not indigenous to this region. This land is harsh. This migration is no doubt due to human expansion. The Mountain lion has followed.Their has been several sightings. I saw a beautiful thing last spring and of course the camera was not ready. A doe ran across the road early a.m. and myself and another driver going in the other direction stopped. Nobody else around. She had 4 fawns in toe..single file across the road. The female driver and I looked at each other and it was clear. Once in a lifetime. The doe could have been a "nanny" of sorts but it was a unique sight to be sure.

[Gaius Millhelm]

Fascinating topic. The deer have moved to the Yukon over the years. They are not indigenous to this region. This land is harsh. This migration is no doubt due to human expansion. The Mountain lion has followed.Their has been several sightings. I saw a beautiful thing last spring and of course the camera was not ready. A doe ran across the road early a.m. and myself and another driver going in the other direction stopped. Nobody else around. She had 4 fawns in toe..single file across the road. The female driver and I looked at each other and it was clear. Once in a lifetime. The doe could have been a "nanny" of sorts but it was a unique sight to be sure.

Deer are living art to me. They are moving paintings as beautious as any Sarnot or Matisse. They have such a gracefulness. It is beyond words that can be spoken by mere mortal men.

Maybe not some women. I have known women to speak beauty that goes beyond words too :mrgreen:

A buck is a stunning sight with his sprawling Rack but the Doe has a beauty all her own. Females have a sneaky way of doing that regardless of species :roll:

[rastaman]

Deer are living art to me. They are moving paintings as beautious as any Sarnot or Matisse. They have such a gracefulness. It is beyond words that can be spoken by mere mortal men.

Maybe not some women. I have known women to speak beauty that goes beyond words too :mrgreen:

A buck is a stunning sight with his sprawling Rack but the Doe has a beauty all her own. Females have a sneaky way of doing that regardless of species :roll:


I am awh struck by all of nature, surrounded by it. Our species does not fit in anymore. How someone can kill one of these animals is beyond my ability to comprehend. This mentality of an open season. Because thats a bear and I'm a man, I have a right to kill it. In pains me to think that their may come a day when the only way to see an animal is at the Zoo.

[exitwound]

I have a certain respect for the hunter's craft, and the warrior's. But I take no enjoyment from the unnecessary taking of life, or doing harm of any sort. But I do admit to a certain streak of righteous aggression, when something I love is under threat....

[LuvMyFlag]

I am awh struck by all of nature, surrounded by it. Our species does not fit in anymore. How someone can kill one of these animals is beyond my ability to comprehend. This mentality of an open season. Because thats a bear and I'm a man, I have a right to kill it. In pains me to think that their may come a day when the only way to see an animal is at the Zoo.

First of all I don't want to come off in an offensive manner here, but you have to consider the conservation aspect of it all. Where I live near the Ozarks, we have a heavy deer population. Without the thinning of the heard there would be far more vehicular accidents than there are currently. I'll try to look some stats up latter, but breakfast is ready now.

I have hunted deer in the past. In fact it used to be one of my favorite hobbies. Because of some personal things over the years, I've began to lose interest and haven't hunted for a few years now.

[LuvMyFlag]

Here's a link:

http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/deer-accident-statistics.html

[WakeUp]

LMF. I agree with you on many practical levels. The one you mentioned of thinning the herd to reduce traffic deaths is one. In other parts of the country there are other issues such as food recourses and other balancing of food for the predators of the deer. Then for myself, I am not a vegetarian. I tried it for 10 or 12 years and my health really deteriorated. I have no qualms about eating meat, including deer to sustain my body.

But on an ethical, religious point of view, I agree with some of the posts above. If the situation existed where there was no one to kill the meat, I would definitely become a vegetarian again. I simply cannot intentionally kill another being, except in self defense. I know this position is debatable even among those of my religious orientation, but I stand on my conviction that the key point is whether the intent to kill is present in the mind.

Now that being said, I see this life of our as always having those who will kill ~ kill for pleasure, kill for ideas, kill for greed, kill for protection. I never see a time for pure peace to exist. So, I don't fret over who is doing what, as long as it's not infringing on my rights ~ and therein lies the proverbial problem.

[rastaman]

First of all I don't want to come off in an offensive manner here, but you have to consider the conservation aspect of it all. Where I live near the Ozarks, we have a heavy deer population. Without the thinning of the heard there would be far more vehicular accidents than there are currently. I'll try to look some stats up latter, but breakfast is ready now.

I have hunted deer in the past. In fact it used to be one of my favorite hobbies. Because of some personal things over the years, I've began to lose interest and haven't hunted for a few years now.


Well each to their own. I'm looking at things in a broader way. That is to say out acts as a species not as the one. We have committed empiracide. All one has to do is view the extinction record and the endangered species list. This is fact not opinion. The fact also that deer are moving this far north tells me they are in trouble. I also witness this open season mentality every year first hand. Plane loads of rich American and Euros flocking here to kill our wildlife.
Why? Because they have wiped out the animals in their area. How many wolves are left in the lower 48? All of the wolves in Yellow Stone are transplants from Western Canada. In fact all of the wolves anywhere in your country are. How many grizzlies live below 48?

If someone needs to hunt to survive fine. Head hunting is something quite different. Recently a hybrid Griss/Polar bear was shot in the far north by a tourist who paid ten grand. Thats just not right. Its like killing a Sasquatch to prove they exist.

[WakeUp]

Excellent points, rastaman. :clap:

[Gaius Millhelm]

You are a wise and insightful man Rasta. You have captured much of what I think myself when I am out in these forests watching the deer Lurk.

Well each to their own. I'm looking at things in a broader way. That is to say out acts as a species not as the one. We have committed empiracide. All one has to do is view the extinction record and the endangered species list. This is fact not opinion. The fact also that deer are moving this far north tells me they are in trouble. I also witness this open season mentality every year first hand. Plane loads of rich American and Euros flocking here to kill our wildlife.
Why? Because they have wiped out the animals in their area. How many wolves are left in the lower 48? All of the wolves in Yellow Stone are transplants from Western Canada. In fact all of the wolves anywhere in your country are. How many grizzlies live below 48?

If someone needs to hunt to survive fine. Head hunting is something quite different. Recently a hybrid Griss/Polar bear was shot in the far north by a tourist who paid ten grand. Thats just not right. Its like killing a Sasquatch to prove they exist.