Deer and chainsaws

[ArtB]

Clearing some deadfall from my cabin road, 32 acres 19 mi north of St. Helens, fairly remote, no houses for 40 miles east of me.

So, shut of chain saw and here comes a yearling doe acting tame as you please. Scratched her behind the ears and under the chin, fed her a part of a Ding Dong of all things.

She came right up soon as I shut off the chainsaw.

All I can figure is that some loggers in the area are either 'soft touches' or setting the deer up for an easy hunting season next fall.

Are chain saws the next 'game call' ?

Except in state parks, have never seen such a tame deer, not even in my suburban back yard where we have to net all flowers so as not to feed them.

Anyone else seen similar deer behavior?

 

[madhatte]

I backed into a deer with my butt once measuring trees way out in the sticks in OR. I'd pulled the tape off to get the height and I bumped into something. I turned, and it was a deer. I jumped a little, it jumped a little, and we went our separate ways. My guess is that the further you get from civilization, the less conditioned they are to fear humans. It could also help that it's winter and browse is scarce.

 

[beentown]

Young, dumb and hungry. Or one of the neighbors feeds them. Have a guy I know who has been hand feeding his local herd.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bitzer]

Jesus, would you tuck yer dam pockets in fer chrissake?

 

[northmanlogging]

They subscribe to the fish and wildlife yearly magazine, every fall they take a bus to Central Park, or Northwest Trek. The rest of the year they assume your not allowed to kill them so its ok to taunt and make you question reality.

That and deer are jerks. Almost ran over a mama and 2 fawns with the Missus last week... the missus isn't exactly going to win any drag races, ever.

 

[bitzer]

I had one run into my truck door the other morning. It was still dark. I saw her thinking about going, then she hesitated and then went for it. She tried to race the truck. It didn't work. I watched the whole thing unfold. I was probably doing forty when it ran into me. I watched it in the rearview kind of shake off and then start up again. Dumb.


And where exactly is the op smuggling ding dongs while sawing?

 

[treeslayer2003]

well........i have had to pick up and move fawns on several occasions, it seems they don't fear me after that. i have watched them grow into yearlings on long jobs and can still almost touch them. after that first time i try to not touch them if i can help it.....i hunt and it just seems like i am handicapping it if i tame it at all. but i will move one rather than run over it with the skidder.

 

[ArtB]

Re: to satisfy ding dong and pocket comment curiosity.

Pocket : dirty story - only sawing deadfalls out of way as was pushing them to the side with the dozer when a hose to blade lift cylinder broke 4 feet away and sprayed me with oil. No spare hose.
Have 3 extra pairs of pants at cabin, but too small as have gotten fat in last 10 years at mostly desk jobs, so spare pants very tight.
Set the maul down, patted the deer, went to start splitting cut up deadfall and thought I should get a pic of this.
Truck backed up to the sawn deadfall as figured might as well use for firewood (12" alder).
But, passenger side door of truck was still locked, so dug keys out of tight pocket to get camera. Was tempted not to put that pic up as it shows the beer gut, and don't even drink but a beer a month or so with pizza.

Ding Dongs: Only food I had handy in the truck, grabbed a ding dong and camera. By this time deer had wandered about 25 ft away, actually called to it and held out the ding dong and back it came for the pic.

Have never smoked, otherwise would have offered the deer a stogie or cig; pop smoked cigars, the deer would love it when he would throw the old butt out in the yard, tobacco apparently a favorite food when they can get it.

 

[bitzer]

Ah ha! So the truth is all coming out now...


I was wondering about the oil stain, but i wanted to see how this would unfold.

 

[bitzer]

well........i have had to pick up and move fawns on several occasions, it seems they don't fear me after that. i have watched them grow into yearlings on long jobs and can still almost touch them. after that first time i try to not touch them if i can help it.....i hunt and it just seems like i am handicapping it if i tame it at all. but i will move one rather than run over it with the skidder.

I've never run one over. Have hit the brakes on the skidder a time or two tho. Those little guys wait til the very last second to pop up.

 

[treeslayer2003]

bitz i have had to crawl under the skidder to get um out twice........they just lay there, idk how they survive at all.

 

[amberg]

Wow, don't think that I want to eat that one. keep feeding it It will be with you for life. have killed way to many babies with the haybine. the mother deer always comes back looking for the young one, if they are still alive.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

n

Clearing some deadfall from my cabin road, 32 acres 19 mi north of St. Helens, fairly remote, no houses for 40 miles east of me.

So, shut of chain saw and here comes a yearling doe acting tame as you please. Scratched her behind the ears and under the chin, fed her a part of a Ding Dong of all things.

She came right up soon as I shut off the chainsaw.

All I can figure is that some loggers in the area are either 'soft touches' or setting the deer up for an easy hunting season next fall.

Are chain saws the next 'game call' ?

Except in state parks, have never seen such a tame deer, not even in my suburban back yard where we have to net all flowers so as not to feed them.

Anyone else seen similar deer behavior?

not me, never scratched a yearling doe behind the ears before!!! that's for sure... see u r in Renton... used to pound the streets there on Fri and Sat nite... stop lite to stop lite, make the loop, then hot fudge sundaes at Dag's.... fun times. from just up on the hill above, I 5 side... SeaTac area, Burien... interesting post!

pix: that's not a deer, that's a dog that looks like a deer... omg, look at the middle pix!!!! amazing!.... did the momma show up to claim her missn' chiilln?...

btw: how did the story end?...

 

[ArtB]

how did the story end?...

Dropped the rest of the DD on the ground, deer snarfed it, then ambled about 15 ft away a I began splitting some of the alder.
Browsed at the edge of the road, then sauntered off into the wood when I started the truck.
Never saw it again that day. Heard a couple of pileated woodpeckers getting their lunch out of a snag later though.
Never heard any CS running in the distance though either, although 4 mi away going home the next day there were some empty Kenworths going in, and road ends 3 mi past cabin.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

how did the story end?...

Dropped the rest of the DD on the ground, deer snarfed it, then ambled about 15 ft away a I began splitting some of the alder.
Browsed at the edge of the road, then sauntered off into the wood when I started the truck.
Never saw it again that day. Heard a couple of pileated woodpeckers getting their lunch out of a snag later though.
Never heard any CS running in the distance though either, although 4 mi away going home the next day there were some empty Kenworths going in, and road ends 3 mi past cabin.

remote cabin on 32 acres in that area of PNW sound real nice...

real nice !!

 

[SliverPicker]

I had a doe come to within 18" of me at my brother-in-laws camp two years ago. She stayed there for at least 20 minutes. Must have been someone's yard pet. No houses in the vicinity, but that's my theory. BIL has a video of the whole thing.