Post by Todd B on Nov 10, 2007 22:52:59 GMT -5
Article published Nov 10, 2007
Ida couple has a deer friend
www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071110/NEWS01/111100058
Mike Schlump gazed behind his house, and, out in the distance, he spotted a deer casually wandering through the wheat field.
For some reason, he decided to call out at the deer.
"I yelled, ‘Hey, deer!' " Mr. Schlump said.
And then something really odd happened. The deer responded and began approaching slowly. The small buck walked right up to Mr. Schlump, who was a bit surprised, knowing that deer are known to flee humans, not visit them.
"It was like he didn't have a care in the world," Mr. Schlump said. "It came right up to me. He basically walked right up to my hand, and I scratched his head. He started licking us like a dog. It was just strange."
Mr. Schlump's wife, Cheryl, grabbed a camera and started snapping photos. But the deer, a yearling, never was spooked or seemed concerned. The couple fed it carrots and it just hung around, eating and nibbling on a sapling.
"I said, ‘There's something wrong with this deer,' " Mr. Schlump said. "I didn't know what to think."
It turns out the deer isn't nearly as wild as his woodland brothers and sisters who have a built-in distrust of human beings. After a couple of phone calls, the Schlumps discovered that the deer was raised by an area couple who keep several deer in a pen.
The Schlumps' deer friend jumped a fence at home and was on the lam for six days before wandering onto their property. They also found out the young deer has a name: "Gunner."
The deer was placed in the garage and the owner came to retrieve him. Apparently Gunner was raised since birth and is as much a pet as anything.
In fact, Gunner likes to watch TV with its owners.
Gunner is now safe at home, which is a good thing, especially at this time of the year. Mr. Schlump is not a hunter, but he knows they're out there.
"With hunting season and a deer this tame, there could have been some problems," Mr. Schlump said. "He could have ended up on somebody's table."
Ida couple has a deer friend
www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071110/NEWS01/111100058
Mike Schlump gazed behind his house, and, out in the distance, he spotted a deer casually wandering through the wheat field.
For some reason, he decided to call out at the deer.
"I yelled, ‘Hey, deer!' " Mr. Schlump said.
And then something really odd happened. The deer responded and began approaching slowly. The small buck walked right up to Mr. Schlump, who was a bit surprised, knowing that deer are known to flee humans, not visit them.
"It was like he didn't have a care in the world," Mr. Schlump said. "It came right up to me. He basically walked right up to my hand, and I scratched his head. He started licking us like a dog. It was just strange."
Mr. Schlump's wife, Cheryl, grabbed a camera and started snapping photos. But the deer, a yearling, never was spooked or seemed concerned. The couple fed it carrots and it just hung around, eating and nibbling on a sapling.
"I said, ‘There's something wrong with this deer,' " Mr. Schlump said. "I didn't know what to think."
It turns out the deer isn't nearly as wild as his woodland brothers and sisters who have a built-in distrust of human beings. After a couple of phone calls, the Schlumps discovered that the deer was raised by an area couple who keep several deer in a pen.
The Schlumps' deer friend jumped a fence at home and was on the lam for six days before wandering onto their property. They also found out the young deer has a name: "Gunner."
The deer was placed in the garage and the owner came to retrieve him. Apparently Gunner was raised since birth and is as much a pet as anything.
In fact, Gunner likes to watch TV with its owners.
Gunner is now safe at home, which is a good thing, especially at this time of the year. Mr. Schlump is not a hunter, but he knows they're out there.
"With hunting season and a deer this tame, there could have been some problems," Mr. Schlump said. "He could have ended up on somebody's table."