Dog Paddling Deer
 

Hunting season in NH for deer begins November 8th... and today we spotted 3 deer swimming over to Bear Island and climbing ashore near the Post Office dock... Coincidence? I think not!

Apparently the word is out amongst the deer population that they can't be hunted out on the islands, so they made their escape to safety!! For having such little hooves, they were making remarkable time through the water...

My wife shot a brief video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoS03fc8fLk

It is still spectacular out on the lake, very peaceful! PIG

Just to put proper perspective on this: deer do not know or even suspect that deer season is coming in the next few days (rifle is coming...archery and muzzle loader are already here). What these 3 does do know is that they are being chased by bucks who are entering the rut and they are not yet interested.

During the next few weeks...loved crazed bucks will be chasing every doe in NH as the breeding season picks up speed. Bucks are ready weeks before does are ready so "the chase is on". These does were probably harassed by a one or several young bucks and finally had enough. The bucks can find the does by scent so the best way to get away from that is to cross water.

PS: watch the roads these next few weeks. Your greatest chance of hitting a deer comes during this rutting season.

Sexual harassment in the wild.

Where it’s perfectly, acceptable and normal! There is no harassment in nature, only the instinctive urges to survive and to assure procreation!
As innocent and beautiful as it gets...

Well if those does thinking they will escape harassment on Bear, good luck with that there are a number of really nice bucks that call Bear Island home.

When I first saw the title of this thread, I envisioned a deer across the knee of a dog, crying and legs flailing, as the dog administered a stern reprimand to its bottom for some bad behavior.

Swimmin' fools
 

We saw at least 8 deer swimming back and forth between Small cove (WAM) to Sleepers Isl this summer. Not sure what drives them to swim to the island but they sure do motor along in the water.

It's a little nerve wracking when we see them during the day when there's lots of boat traffic.