2lumpy
Long Time Member
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It’s actual about 10 days prior to the peak mule deer rut, based on pay years, but……
There have been between 12 to 20 deer in my back yard since mid October, four are yearling bucks, one two year old.
I have three neighbors, one on each side, we all have 1.5 to 3 acre lots of alfalfa, lawn grass, and pasture. Between the three of us, about 8 or 10 fruit trees, mostly apple but some peach and plum as well.
Our yards are separated by 4.5 foot high field fences. These deer travel through all three yards, every day, they dine on a few apples here, a few dandelions there, an hour in the alfalfa. etc.
They walk up to the field fence, stand flat footed and jump the fence, fawns too.
So the last day or two, the bucks have been getting rutty. Lip curling and sniffing and stiff legged around the other bucks…… but no does have been ready…….. until this morning.
I looked out the kitchen window this morning at about 8:00 o’clock. There was what I can only best describe as a “free-for-all steeple chase”. Does and bucks in a melee, racing in all directs, leaping fences, two going one direct, two going the opposite way. Not standing and jumping, racing full tilts, long leaping fences at full speed, first my fence, then the neighbors and wipe around and back over his and then mine again. On and on, back a forth, up through the sage and rocks then back into the yards again. This went on for a good hour before they all disappear from sight. Now, they’re back, exhausted, laying in the shade, too tired to get up when I walk out to the garage.
Quite the spectacle this time of year around here.
Nothing new for you folks that share your yard with deer but entertaining none the less. ?
There have been between 12 to 20 deer in my back yard since mid October, four are yearling bucks, one two year old.
I have three neighbors, one on each side, we all have 1.5 to 3 acre lots of alfalfa, lawn grass, and pasture. Between the three of us, about 8 or 10 fruit trees, mostly apple but some peach and plum as well.
Our yards are separated by 4.5 foot high field fences. These deer travel through all three yards, every day, they dine on a few apples here, a few dandelions there, an hour in the alfalfa. etc.
They walk up to the field fence, stand flat footed and jump the fence, fawns too.
So the last day or two, the bucks have been getting rutty. Lip curling and sniffing and stiff legged around the other bucks…… but no does have been ready…….. until this morning.
I looked out the kitchen window this morning at about 8:00 o’clock. There was what I can only best describe as a “free-for-all steeple chase”. Does and bucks in a melee, racing in all directs, leaping fences, two going one direct, two going the opposite way. Not standing and jumping, racing full tilts, long leaping fences at full speed, first my fence, then the neighbors and wipe around and back over his and then mine again. On and on, back a forth, up through the sage and rocks then back into the yards again. This went on for a good hour before they all disappear from sight. Now, they’re back, exhausted, laying in the shade, too tired to get up when I walk out to the garage.
Quite the spectacle this time of year around here.
Nothing new for you folks that share your yard with deer but entertaining none the less. ?
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