Deer Yard?

[ber643]

We've lived here in our home 12 years now. Deer used to move in the woods out behind our house and my shooting range (seen many times on tradgang) to get to the fields, up by the main road into this area that is close to the national forest. However, we have never seen sign of any in the front area of the property, that borders on our street. Well that is untill about a month ago when we were coming home one night and one was trying to cross the road in front of us just as we turned onto our street. I stopped and let her cross - a nice looking young doe. I figured she was trying to get to those same fields I mentiond, and perhaps my truck's approach had disoriented her and she ran across the street by mistake, and then wanted to get back towards the field.

Well today, when Rose went out to check the mail, we found reason to re-asses our front yard as a possible "Deer yard"
Look out, Ferret, - it may not be like yours yet but it's a start.

In the new topsoil my wife had strewn in some bare spots beside the rock garden next to the path to the mailbox. (The light/dark effect is sunlight and shade):

   

And if I stepped back a pace or two, more sign of the deer's coming and going. :

   

Just above and beyond those round, concrete cylanders (seen in the second pic) is the rock garden, and what our young visitor was interested in - my Bartlett Pear Tree, which is loaded with young, green pears. (It had to be an early morning visit as we had a heavy soaking rain during the early morning hours.) (:

   

Reminded me a little of scouting for Deer Season     :p    . Hmmmmmmmmmmm, perhaps this season I'll get to take my stand in my own front yard    

[BMN]

Cool! Are you using a kids sand box as a planter?

Bill

[Dave Worden]

Hey Bernie,
If you want to see deer tracks just spread some topsoil or till a patch of dirt in a long line (kind of like a soft dirt sidewalk).  The deer will walk along right in the middle of that like it is a sidewalk.  I've seen this a couple times now at my place.  The only problem is, if you're planning to plant, you have a whole bunch of holes punched in your (previously) nice smooth planting bed.  It does sound like you have a pretty neat idea to plant pears and harvest venison!!!

[ber643]

Yep, we used to use the sandbox (from a yard sale) for a goldfish pond for feeder fish for our Koi and Comet - (but we never fed them to 'em - LOL). We use another sand box to water the Ducks too, when they aren't bathing in it. When we got rid of the fish this past winter (getting to hard) the wife turned the lady bug sandbox into a planter - all our black polypro pond's holes, and the big above ground Koi pond too. She's got all of them looking pretty good already. (Sometimes I miss the fish but it keeps the snakes down - LOL)

Yes, Dave, I've found that Deer just love to walk in fresh dirt - they will go out of their way to do so too. Shhh, about the pear/venison plan -    

[Cherokee Scout]

We have deer come in to feed on corn almost every night. We have a motion light in a tree, when an animal feeds the light comes on and we watch. We have racoons feed, a fox will eat bread if we have it out, armadillos feed and even a beaver sometimes comes up from the lake to eat corn! My wife has name each of the deer.

[jacobsladder]

this is my backyard ...typical spring time pic...how many deer can you count?

[ber643]

Good heavens! My appearances are very random. I'd love to have yards like those. I love ours, but I could sure do with a lot more critters visiting.

[vermonster13]

I hope you aren't putting the stand in the tree by the pink turtle Bernie. Even you are too big for that one.    

[ber643]

Geez - just my size, VTm - LOL Actually i want you to know that is a "Lady Bug" and she used to be red - the poor soul (like all of us) is fading with time.  :D

[swampbuck]

We useta get deer up in the yard when we first moved to our present location but somethin about a team of sled dogs chained along the back line stopped that from happening to often.Sometimes now that we're down to 1 husky outside and he's closer to the house they come heck sometimes even turkeys but not to often,there's plenty of open space they can go besides my yard LOL

I can see 3 deer not sure if there's more

[frassettor]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
I hope you aren't putting the stand in the tree by the pink turtle Bernie. Even you are too big for that one.      

[chessieboy]

I count 23 turkeys, 4 deer and a game camera