JL Girl
03-20-2011, 11:47 AM
Living down off the Moultonborough Neck Road, I am keenly aware of the deer during nearly every season! John Harrigan, the outdoorsman that writes for the Nh Sunday News, mentioned a few weeks ago that the wildlife is beginning to move, now that brooks are shedding their snow socer and are trickling again, and the temperatures and the sun a re rising. He said they're hungry after a long snowy winter and in a somehwat weakened condition which makes the deer and rodents especially vulnerable to coyotes (which I used to hear in the fall, yipping in the middle of the night).
Yesterday, in late afternoon coming home, down the last hill before the hill that climbs to Jonathan's Landing, I saw movement to the left and as I slowly went by, I counted 9 deer - 2 little ones, 2 yearlings, and the rest adults, all trekking along the side of the road and turning into the woods. That's the most I have ever seen, except for a few years ago, when I counted 18 (yes, that's right) on the hillside in Jonathan's Landing.
I was curious as to what you all have seen lately. I have heard two stories from friends here that the skunks are out.
I am always very careful about the lower Neck Road (near Jojo's) and also on Long Island Road after the bridge up at the top of the hill - the deer are notorious for crossing at that points. One time last fall, I saw the most unusual sight! I got to the top of the hill, and there were 4 deer standing in the road. 2 looked at me and then ran to the left; the other 2 ran to the right. I was stopped in my car and something told me not to move. Sure enough, the 2 that were on the left crossed the road to the right and the 2 that were on right crossed the road to the left. I still didn't move. Finally, the 2 on the right crossed to the left - I waited a few minutes and then proceeded cautiously. As I went by where they had crossed, I looked to the left and there were all four of them, each behind a different tree, looking out at me from behind their respective trees. I thought of Robert DeNiro "Hey, you looking at me???" I think it was some sort of game with them and me! The saga wasn't over with - as I proceeded up the road near Jonathan's, on the left edge of the road, not less than 7 feet from me, a stag was standing there as still as could be - I counted 7 points on his antlers as I drove slowly by. I looked in my rearview mirror when I passed by and he was still standing there.
Yesterday, in late afternoon coming home, down the last hill before the hill that climbs to Jonathan's Landing, I saw movement to the left and as I slowly went by, I counted 9 deer - 2 little ones, 2 yearlings, and the rest adults, all trekking along the side of the road and turning into the woods. That's the most I have ever seen, except for a few years ago, when I counted 18 (yes, that's right) on the hillside in Jonathan's Landing.
I was curious as to what you all have seen lately. I have heard two stories from friends here that the skunks are out.
I am always very careful about the lower Neck Road (near Jojo's) and also on Long Island Road after the bridge up at the top of the hill - the deer are notorious for crossing at that points. One time last fall, I saw the most unusual sight! I got to the top of the hill, and there were 4 deer standing in the road. 2 looked at me and then ran to the left; the other 2 ran to the right. I was stopped in my car and something told me not to move. Sure enough, the 2 that were on the left crossed the road to the right and the 2 that were on right crossed the road to the left. I still didn't move. Finally, the 2 on the right crossed to the left - I waited a few minutes and then proceeded cautiously. As I went by where they had crossed, I looked to the left and there were all four of them, each behind a different tree, looking out at me from behind their respective trees. I thought of Robert DeNiro "Hey, you looking at me???" I think it was some sort of game with them and me! The saga wasn't over with - as I proceeded up the road near Jonathan's, on the left edge of the road, not less than 7 feet from me, a stag was standing there as still as could be - I counted 7 points on his antlers as I drove slowly by. I looked in my rearview mirror when I passed by and he was still standing there.