Doe, a dear!

I have been spending a lot of time with Oma off leash in the woods on our dinner time walks lately. She's pretty good about staying in view and waiting for me at turns and rises, etc. There's been a lot of critters lately, lots of frogs, and a mouse on the trail about a week ago.

I would think a mouse would keep away from the trail, but all of a sudden Oma is going around in circles. I look and she is chasing a tiny mouse, not growling or barking, just trying to sniff it. This is the same thing she does with frogs. After a few circles the mouse broke out and went off trail, and I was able to get Oma to leave it verbally.

Early this week Oma spotted her first Deer. Perhaps not coincidentally I allowed her to sniff a dead deer hanging in my neighbors garage a few days beforehand (she was surprisingly uninterested in what I assumed she would see as hanging meat).

Oma was about 20 feet ahead of me on the trail and suddenly sniffed something and went far off trail. I yelled at her to come back but no luck, she just waited on the rise for me. I followed and once both of us were still I heard and then saw a young deer running away. It had to be within 50 feet of me. I gave Oma her release word and she tore ass after the deer, with me chasing behind.

In the excitement it felt like we could have caught it, I know it sounds crazy but that's what it felt like. Regardless, if we caught it I would not want to touch it, deer around here are famous for being covered in tics. I also wouldn't want to hurt a deer unless I meant to kill it and eat it, and I'm not quite up to cleaning and transporting a carcass yet. Maybe next year after my wrists heal.

I yelled at Oma to stop chasing the deer and she waited for me at the next rise. With both of us holding still and silent it was easy to spot the deer running away. Very cool stuff, a once a season experience I suspect.

Special wildlife bonus! introducing new blog supporting critter, Frankie the fish!



Frankie is probably the biggest fish I have ever seen in the Lake. You'll notice those big bugs hovering around the ramp I made for Oma to use getting into and out of the water (also known as the piece of crap the dog does not use. At all. Ever!!!) I see a lot of fish hanging out and jumping out of the water eating bugs at this spot, but Frankie didn't jump for me. I think the fat bastards waiting on a sure bet. I'll be keeping a lookout for more bug stalking action with Frankie.