Injured Deer

The neighbor lady saw a deer in her backyard this morning. It got up took a few steps and fell down again. That continued and it stayed laying. She called the Forester. I went to take a look. Didn't get close but the deer did get up and jumped a few feet before laying down again. When the forester (lady) came, she said, "We don't take injured animals in for treatment. If it is injured, I will shoot it and let it lay. We don't remove the carcas." I told her to let it alone. The deer hopped away. There is a stream nearby and so it can get water. I'll take a look tomorrow to see if it still around. Years ago, I would have taken the deer and butchured it rather than let it go to waste.
Anyway, that's my deer story for today. I'm hoping I don't find it and that it means the deer has recovered.

Wild life have amazing recovery capabilities. I'm guessing a leg may be broken. On the other hand, it may be just very sick. Poor thing.

Dear Abe,
If the deer is still there tomorrow, call wildlife rescue in your area. They will take care of it. If it has a broken leg they will take it to one of their shelters for rehab. I am glad you have such a kindness in your heart.

Love,
Betty

The animal control folks are a bit odd.
A few years back a coyote attacked a cat in our backyard.
The next morning I saw the injured cat laying under a bush in our yard.
I called animal control and got a recorded mesage.

"Are you being threatened or atacked by an animal--press 1.
If you wish to report a sick or injured animal--press 2."

I pressed 2 and was questioned extensively about the injury and since they would need to rouse an officer and have him dress, must verify that the cat was indeed injured. I verified it and was proven correct. The cats leg was broken.

In the meantime, sure glad I wasn't being menaced by a bear!

Dear Alice,
I agree about Animal Control. Wildlife Rescue is a different organization all together. One time, I found a hawk in the road that had been hit by a car. It could still walk, but flying was another matter. I put on gloves and brought the bird into the house. Wildlife rescue came within a couple of hours and took the bird to be fixed up. When the hawk could fly again, they brought it back out here to be released. I thought that was something wonderful.
Love,
Betty

That is very wondeful--they are wildlife rescue though and the cat was a family pet.

We need animal rescue.

Dear Alice,
Animal control is for unwanted and abandoned domestic animals. If they come out an pick up an injured animal, it will see no good end. They are not into the rescue of animals. The Humane society might have done something but usually the pet owner or some kind person has to take the animal to a vet for help.

Love,
Betty

Follow-up to the deer takes a new twist.

It was raining this morning so I decided to wait. Late this afternoon, almost dusk, I decided to see if I could find the injured deer. As I walked through the woods a protruding branch struck the side of my head cutting a gash in my ear. I felt the blood trickling down but it wasn’t serious and I kept going. The stream that I was following had a branch to it, unknown to me, and I took the wrong branch and then it started to rain. My left turns that I thought would take me back toward the house were taking me in a different direction. I was lost. I heard the traffic from the paved road and went to it and realized that I was about 2 miles from home. Instead of cutting across the fields and risking another wrong direction, I followed the paved road until it came to a dirt road. With the rain still falling, the mud in the road didn’t make walking very easy. Due to the exertion, I was experiencing shortness of breath and realized that I forgot to carry my Nitro with me. It was now dark. When I finally reached the house, my coat was soaked as well as my shoes and socks. I can only imagine what I looked like and when my daughter saw me she let out a shriek. I guess the rain running down my head mixing with the blood made things look worse than they were. I took a shower to remove the blood and reveal the cut. My daughter treated the cut and has threatened to put me on a leash.
Don’t know what happened to the deer. Since I didn’t see it I can only hope that is a positive sign, unless I was searching in the wrong place.

We old folk do dumb things, but we do care.

Abe, continue to follow your heart and experience life in all its quirks and sometimes less than fun turns. However, always carry a cell phone with 911 programmed.

I have a little blue cotton bag that I never leave the house without because it has my asthma inhaler, a little bottle of water and some paper towel. I have a little passport purse that holds my cell phone and I wear it like a necklace. That way, my habit is ingrained. It doesn't matter if I am going to the store or the woods, I habitually take my safety stuff.

You may want extra medicine so you can keep a bottle in your "safety kit." At one time I had a very small cloth backpack that was also wonderful for just a few things.

P.S. Even when I go to a nightclub in fancy clothes, I have my little passport purse with the cell phone, my driver's license and a credit card. The trick is keeping these smart phones with the battery charged.

As for the deer; hopefully it found a place to rest and didn't suffer. However, nature has its own ways about life and death. As people, we want to protect animals from pain and death. I'm not always certain we do them a favor.

Sounds like you are enjoying your visit, adventures and all. Grand!

Good advice, Diane. Thanks.

I am enjoying my visit. I am an adventurous sort and like to investigate new areas. As for going in the right direction, it becomes confusing when trying to observe the "No Trespassing" signs and altering direction. Getting lost in a strange area is not unusual, especially in the woods. The simplest and smart thing to do when lost would be to retrace ones steps. But as men, we don't think that way.

Abe,

Glad you are okay. Sounds like you needed a rescue too.

If I had not shown up when I did, my daughter was getting ready to launch a search party.
I'm not accustomed to carrying a cell phone, but it appears the right thing to do especially when out alone.

When I grow up, if I ever do, I'll be more careful.

Thank all of you for expressing concern.