I t'ought I taw a putty tat!

[Chuck Dye]

I live on 40 acres surrounded by another man’s 1000 acres in the Coquille River Valley. The neighbor whose land surrounds mine has brought in fallow deer. These are the ones that can be white or blond as well as the more familiar reddish brown. Well, it is rutting season for fallow deer and last night when I went out onto my back porch to check the thermometer, a fallow buck was about 100 feet up the hill, just inside the tree line. The buck was calling for does, a very breathy bark that sounds as if he is coughing into a 10 foot pipe. There was only a hint of daylight remaining, so I had turned on the porch light and the 500 watt flood that lights my drive and some of the hillside. I was pretty much in condition white until I saw movement in the grass about 80 feet from the porch, just outside the reach of my floodlight. Now what I saw could have been (probably was) a fallow doe answering the buck’s come hither, but I am not sure. The movement was a fast crouching walk I have never seen in deer and I am pretty sure I saw a lot less neck and muzzle than I should have for a doe. I think I may have interrupted a cougar’s hunt! Yes, it is possible that fallow does have a ritualized posture for approaching bucks in the rut, one that I don’t know about and haven’t been able to find on the web, and that and the poor lighting could explain the catlike fast walk, apparent short neck, and short muzzle, but I think I would rather say

I t’ought I taw a putty tat!

Does anyone here know if fallow does have a ritualized posture and gait when approaching buck during rut? I suppose the same question applies to rival bucks. Could I have glimpsed a minor buck trying to capitalize on the major buck’s calls? A fairly thorough search of the hill side turned up no cat sign and only droppings from the deer, but the ground is too littered with grass, leaves, and pine needles to hope my old eyes would find tracks. Sure would be fun to say

I did! I did taw a putty tat!

 

[Selfdfenz]

If its not too late you might go have a look for tracks.

S-

 

[Chuck Dye]

A fairly thorough search of the hill side turned up no cat sign and only droppings from the deer, but the ground is too littered with grass, leaves, and pine needles to hope my old eyes would find tracks.

 

[Art Eatman]

I dunno nuttin' 'bout fallow deer, but the walk, the behavior doesn't sound righteous for any sort of doe. A buck will make some sort of noise, hoping for a response; then the buck will set out after Sweet Thang.

Odds are, you saw a cougar during his stalk, going toward the buck's call.

, Art

 

[yorec]

Don't know anything about fallow deer - sorry.

But I couldn't help remember the first mountain lion my mother saw - she was driving down the highway in a nearby canyon at night when a lion ran across the road a hundred yards in front of her car. All she saw was the hind quarters and long curling tail in the lights as it went over the shoulder....

When she got home, all she could talk about was the weird monkey she while in the canyon!

Had to tell her she taw a putty tat.

Wish I could tell you the same for sure, but I can't.