Deer Oh Deer, Not Again!
The ongoing battle with the beautiful buffet-eating Bambis...ticks me off!
Mark Raynes Roberts
The kind of deer I would love in our garden! This beautiful bronze fawn is by Hampshire based sculptor Holly Hickmore, in England, who is most famous for her equine thoroughbred works.
While in Toronto recently, it was upsetting to watch (on our home security) local deer taking full advantage of our absence by eating everything except for Sarah’s delicate daffodils. They don’t like daffodils so we planted lots last fall.
Deer are graceful - and, in Disney lore, sweet and loving. The big doleful eyes. The cute little nose. What’s not to like? In fact, when we first moved to Chester, their presence was rather charming. Magical, even. Look! A doe leaping across the road, its white tail like a happy little flag.
But then came their boldness.
Last year, the deer problem wasn’t as bad. But with no predators and a ban on hunting within the township of Chester, the confidence level our deer community has skyrocketed it seems. They consider our rhododendrons and hostas as mid-morning snacks. And forget tulips. They nip off a bud as an appetizer. Pink canapes.
A few Sundays ago, upon returning from an afternoon concert, we found several of them nonchalantly enjoying a late lunch. Our car pulled up, and they simply turned their heads in our direction with a calm expression as much as to say ‘You weren’t supposed to be back for another hour!’ I chased them around the garden like a mad man until they hopped the fence.
But like the Terminator…they’ll be back.
One of our neighbors has gone hardcore, a bit like Bill Murray’s character in the movie ‘Caddyshack’, who was determined to eradicate the gopher from digging holes in the golf course he was maintaining. Our neighbour recently installed a serious 10ft wire and iron railing fence. It has the fortification levels now of a mini Colditz castle and for good reason.
Last fall, I went to the local dollar store to buy up what seemed to be the entire inventory of Irish Spring soap of “and we like it too” fame. As I plunked down armloads of soap on the counter, the assistant simply said “ Deer?”
Dear indeed!