Congregation of Deer

 

 

At the end of winter, we see lots of deer around the cabin.  In the colder months, when the trees are leafless and animals are more exposed, the herd sticks close for safety.  We've seen as many as 18 together at one time. Each evening just before the sun goes down, the deer make a circuit loop through the woods and stop at our goldfish pond for water before they bed down for the evening.  The younger members of the herd love to play. They kick up their heels, butt one another, and frolic, as their elders calmly nibble at any bits of vegetation they might find.  Today, the youngsters  decided to play "king of the hill."  The victor maintained his perch atop the wood pile of logs from last fall's cutting, shoving off any of the others who tried to dethrone him. As you can see, he seemed to enjoy striking his victory pose above :)