tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post8439676161963239141..comments2024-03-12T05:02:14.140-04:00Comments on MOUNTAIN MUSINGS: They Were Here FirstNCmountainwomanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615765649828716560noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-27255833084283698802016-08-12T12:49:05.303-04:002016-08-12T12:49:05.303-04:00Thanks for your comments, everyone.
Nance - It is...Thanks for your comments, everyone.<br /><br />Nance - It is amazing how much the weather plays in wildlife, isn't it? I've heard about the influx of coyotes in the Mid-West.<br /><br />Linthead - We have seen more foxes and coyotes this year. Which explains why we rarely see any rabbits. Hope that will change.<br /><br />Robin - Thanks. We do love our community. Interestingly enough, most of the animal complaints come from summer residents, not the year-'round residents.<br /><br />Troutbirder - 29. That's a lot of deer.<br /><br />Cheryl - We have so much acreage and green space that it's not likely we will get an over population. And our boundaries are not enclosed so the deer can wander off at any time. They are not confined at all.<br /><br />Patti - Our community-wide speed limit is only 25, so everyone should be driving slowly anyway. I have not heard of a deer getting hit by a car in our community, but I frequently see dead deer by the roadside on the rode to town.<br /><br />Beatrice - Well said.<br /><br />Lynn - Thanks for dropping by. I checked your blog and saw the lovely area where your sister lives.<br /><br />Marylee - Yes, many developers pay no attention to the needs of the wildlife in the area.<br /><br />Vicki - Yes, only a couple of people raised the issue and this is the first time I've ever heard anyone suggest killing any deer. When you live on a farm such as yours you have no option but to live with the animals and lose some of your vegetables.NCmountainwomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615765649828716560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-3557369726926209292016-08-10T21:25:46.764-04:002016-08-10T21:25:46.764-04:00Yes indeed. We share our life (and plants) with wi...Yes indeed. We share our life (and plants) with wildlife. Even when they ravage my garden, I still get a thrill out of seeing the critters. We keep our chickens penned up to keep them safe -- I think some sort of enclosure for part of our garden is going to be necessary. <br /><br />It sounds like the majority of folks in your community have the right idea.Vicki Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114677510459055768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-29648427346901801362016-08-10T18:56:07.103-04:002016-08-10T18:56:07.103-04:00Just yesterday someone in our neighborhood sent ou...Just yesterday someone in our neighborhood sent out an e-mail that he had seen several deer--complete with antlers--walking up the sidewalk in our very urban area. There are also wolves and coyote. Don't think the city thinks much about preserving the environment; whatever gives them the most property taxes is #1. <br /><br />When we lived in Wilmington, we were in a neighborhood that had been a nature preserve where the very rich had hunted. When the property was sold to a developer who built golf courses and houses, the wildlife had nowhere to go. So. . . the HOA called in the archers. Sickening.<br /><br />On the other hand, I have friends who bought their house and three acres when it was on a dirt lane in the middle of nowhere. All was fine until developers bought the land all around them and started building houses. My friend is a Master Gardener and an environmentalist. Her gardens were lovely and often on tours. The deer have devastated it. Her foolish neighbors up the street feed them, making the situation even worse. Not long ago she said that there were 27 deer lying in her front yard for the night. I certainly understand her frustration. Developers feel no obligation for the harm they do. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-27929891312216428762016-08-09T12:20:14.056-04:002016-08-09T12:20:14.056-04:00My sister has a vacation home in western North Car...My sister has a vacation home in western North Carolina (Hayesville)- that sits right on the Hiwassee River. We love it went the deer cross the river - so graceful. I was making dinner in the kitchen there one day, looked up and a deer was in the yard looking at me through the window. We made eye contact - I moved quietly toward my phone to snap its pic and it ran gracefully into the river and into the woods beyond.<br /><br />(I was inspired to come to your lovely blog when I read your comment on The Frog and PenguINN blog.)Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13984802196897920610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-37452344809058380632016-08-09T10:47:26.704-04:002016-08-09T10:47:26.704-04:00I am so with you on this issue. Why people feel th...I am so with you on this issue. Why people feel that the animals (deer) are the invaders is beyond me because as you said they were there first. Perhaps it is some of the human inhabitants that need to be culled out and relocated themselves to areas where they will have other nuisances in urban living?Beatrice P. Boydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-92088010107457278472016-08-09T09:20:53.777-04:002016-08-09T09:20:53.777-04:00What a shame there are those who don't even re...What a shame there are those who don't even realize they are living in paradise. Even when the deer cleaned out my peach tree, I was still on their side. I would pay what ever price necessary to have such gorgeous lawn ornaments but I would never feed them. That hurts the deer. Like you said, if the herd gets unhealthy due to overpopulation, then extreme measures might be necessary. But just because people might have to drive a little slower or when someone's favorite flowers are eaten----?Arkansas Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156004753267665579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-21602617779402637452016-08-09T04:12:40.998-04:002016-08-09T04:12:40.998-04:00What a wonderful place to live. My idea of perf...What a wonderful place to live. My idea of perfection, even with the flying squirrel.......<br /><br />I hope they never cull the deer, unless their numbers grow and they need to be culled for the health of the herd.<br /><br />Enjoy your day in the woods :)Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14802468583972118464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-77558079097376209882016-08-08T20:31:22.277-04:002016-08-08T20:31:22.277-04:00We always had a few deer around our small neighbor...We always had a few deer around our small neighborhood in the big woods. Now lots more people and lots more deer (29) passed thru on the way to one of new neighbors with a giant feeder. Turn out the deer love white cedar and the feeder couple heard it from quite a few..... I just took pictures though...:)troutbirderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14087811292280881959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-8126480101893399262016-08-08T14:11:47.980-04:002016-08-08T14:11:47.980-04:00I'm glad your community didn't go with the...I'm glad your community didn't go with the idea of culling the herd. Yikes. That's the kind of conversation that makes neighbors unhappy with each other. I hope no one decides to take matters into their own hands. That would not be a good thing at all. Wildlife is already under attack by all of our encroachment on their smaller and smaller amounts of territory. It would be so good if we could all learn to live together or at least tolerate each other. Your community sounds beautiful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-58750112218270477102016-08-08T12:08:21.039-04:002016-08-08T12:08:21.039-04:00Indeed. We did see the occasional deer in our Fair...Indeed. We did see the occasional deer in our Fairfield suburb: there were undeveloped woods, fields, and pond to support waterfowl migration. Up in Urbana, it is normal to see deer on campus. The grass is green, we have a few apple trees, etc. In our current neighborhood, we get the occasional rabbits (saw one last evening), skunks, raccoons, and possums, but not that many..."except for the damned squirrels." That phrase made me laugh out loud. You live in a beautiful woodland space...may it always be so.Carolina Lintheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16335905555994442416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3906718086309436335.post-15890189333745263762016-08-08T11:33:19.224-04:002016-08-08T11:33:19.224-04:00Sigh. I feel very much the same way you do. Here...Sigh. I feel very much the same way you do. Here in our area, a deer is an unusual, but not rare, sight. It never loses its awe for me, but when it happens in broad daylight alongside a major roadway in town, I am very concerned. A golf course is being redone in a woody glen area, and I recently slammed on my brakes when a doe suddenly appeared roadside, seemingly unconcerned. I waited for quite some time, knowing that they usually appear in pairs. After a bit, I slowly drove on; the several drivers after me did the same.<br /><br />Due to the drought conditions here, some urban coyotes--extremely rare--are starting to appear. That changes the game considerably.Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17627214346956206283noreply@blogger.com