Michigan

[Marie1234]

Quote:
I think a lot of hunters stayed home for the season last year because we have more in my area than I remember in years past and they are staying closer to town. We're not just seeing them by the corn fields and the woods, they are between the grocery store and the auto repair shop at ten-thirty in the morning.

 

[Opa]

The number of deer in southern Michigan is incredible. The number of deer car crashes exceeds the entire deer population in many states. There are so many deer that they are really starting to become a problem. Where I hunt, in December, it is not uncommon to see over 500 deer from my stand each day.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Yes

2 summers ago a doe was parked in our garden merrily munching away on produce and plants. DH went out, shouted at her. She kept eating. He ran at her, waving his arms. She kept eating. He walked right up to her shouting. She skept eating. He had to smack her on the rump before she ran off.

Yesterday, there was a doe (probably the same one) eating one of my dwarf cherry trees. I let the dog out. The dog ran in circles thinking there was a squirrel she had to chase off. The deer stopped, watched the dog and went back to eating. I grabbed a broom and ran after her. It wasn't until I was about 10 feet from her, brandishing my broom that she finally stopped and trotted--TROTTED--away.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
I'm sorry to hear that. We lost our little Chipmunk silkie this last April, so I know exactly what you're going through

 

[vicki2x2]

Quote:
Yes

2 summers ago a doe was parked in our garden merrily munching away on produce and plants. DH went out, shouted at her. She kept eating. He ran at her, waving his arms. She kept eating. He walked right up to her shouting. She skept eating. He had to smack her on the rump before she ran off.

Yesterday, there was a doe (probably the same one) eating one of my dwarf cherry trees. I let the dog out. The dog ran in circles thinking there was a squirrel she had to chase off. The deer stopped, watched the dog and went back to eating. I grabbed a broom and ran after her. It wasn't until I was about 10 feet from her, brandishing my broom that she finally stopped and trotted--TROTTED--away.

Ok, that deer was raised by humans! They aren't that used to people!

We saw an albino one like that, grazing in a guys front yard, people were stopped checking the deer out, who was just strolling around like no big deal. Finally, a truck and trailer stopped, she had escaped and was a pet, they walked right up to her and lead her to the trailer where she hopped right in and went home!

 

[Opa]

During the summer I have 5 or 6 deer in the yard almost every day. In the fall and with the apples getting ripe the number increases to 15-20, and when it was legal to feed deer in the winter I would have 30-40. None of them ever got tame enough that they wouldn't take off at first sight of us. Of the deer I have seen that didn't react or failed to run, they had been at some point raised by humans.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Yes

2 summers ago a doe was parked in our garden merrily munching away on produce and plants. DH went out, shouted at her. She kept eating. He ran at her, waving his arms. She kept eating. He walked right up to her shouting. She skept eating. He had to smack her on the rump before she ran off.

Yesterday, there was a doe (probably the same one) eating one of my dwarf cherry trees. I let the dog out. The dog ran in circles thinking there was a squirrel she had to chase off. The deer stopped, watched the dog and went back to eating. I grabbed a broom and ran after her. It wasn't until I was about 10 feet from her, brandishing my broom that she finally stopped and trotted--TROTTED--away.

Ok, that deer was raised by humans! They aren't that used to people!

We saw an albino one like that, grazing in a guys front yard, people were stopped checking the deer out, who was just strolling around like no big deal. Finally, a truck and trailer stopped, she had escaped and was a pet, they walked right up to her and lead her to the trailer where she hopped right in and went home!

This doe, may have been one of our "children." Back in 2002, two orphaned fawns began hanging out on our property: clean water, lots of food to eat, dog keeps away the coyotes. Out of pity, DH and I would leave corn and other things for them at the far end of the pond. One of the "children" DH shot in 2004, he turned into a lovely 7 point buck who also tasted like beef from the 2 summers of eating corn (other deer around here taste like turpentine since they hang out in the cedar swamp). I'm beginning to the the other "child" may be this doe. She'd be 8 years old now, old for a wild deer but probable. The smart deer hang out in the cedar swamp, the density of the growth prevents hunting and they can avoid getting shot if they stay there as much as possible. We own 3 acres of it, neighbors have 20, the rest is state land.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

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Awww... Ferret, I am so sorry to hear she didn't make it.

 

[briana1975]

Quote:

Opa can I come hunt with you this year? That is a lot of deer!!! Our deer numbers have been growing. Year before last was the first year I have ever seen a fawn around, and that year alone I got to see 5 different ones. Our trees behind our house have really grown. When we first built I could see deer out back in the fields quite often. Now all the trees block my view of the field and I haven't seen a deer in awhile. Till tonight. One was off in a side field looking at me like what are you doing out so late? I got a late start on evening chicken chores.

 

[FlyingFChick]

We have a lot of deer from Kensington Metropark come into our yard!! The other day, I was feeding and watering the chickens when out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dog (a chocolate lab) running around and I noticed a deer. I thought that she was chasing a deer. Once I got focused on the situation, I realized that the deer was actually chasing my dog! LOL It was so funny! She stopped and the deer stopped and stomped and snorted at her and took off. From the woods, I could her another deer "yelling" (don't know what you call it!!!). I guess the next day the deer and my dog were running around in the front yard! Haven't seen her since, but my green beans were eaten down in one corner of the garden! Time to get out the liquid fence!