Urban deer, oh dear

Eastport – centered on Moose Island – is one of many small cities being overrun by deer. You may have met some of the culprits here at the Red Barn.

Here are some random bits as a result.

1. In the Wampanoag language, they’re known as “the ones with wet noses,” for the way they investigate the world around them.
2. Why do fawns have white spots? I suspect it could be a good opportunity for a storyteller to develop. Along with the question of why fawns eventually lose them.
3. They like apples. Man, do they. Some will dance on their hind legs in reaching for the branch overhead.
4. They can destroy a garden overnight.
5. That said, they’ll eat just about anything. One even swallowed a spigot on our bird feeder.
6. Speaking of which, a bit of cayenne pepper in the feeder seems to repel them. As the adage goes, better late than never, regarding some lessons.
7. They’ll eat out of your hand if you’re patient. Not that I advise that.
8. Bucks get bumped out of the circle as they come of age.
9. The most we’ve counted in our small yard at one time was ten.
10. We’ve had an albino in the north end of town. I first thought it was a goat in the night.