The backyard is being invaded by deer!
Normally life at home is peaceful and I can lie on the couch and watch TV. I like hunting shows, especially any shows that put pheasants in the air or ducks on the ground. But lately I have to sit by the backdoor and play the role of guard dog. The backyard is being invaded by deer!
OK, these wild deer are roaming about, eating the grass, walking on the patio and tempting me to give chase. They know I can’t open the door so they get close and ignore me. The other day, a deer was on the patio and paused to look in the back door with its head about 3 inches away from the glass as it stared in. I came unglued and was howling and growling. The deer ignored me. Ugh.
OK, I also like watching the deer at times — as long as they keep their distance. I don’t want them coming into the house to drink water from my bowl, sleep on the couch and crowd me off like I do to Mike, or have the deer gobbling down my treats. They should stick to grass only if they know what’s good for them, har har!
The odd thing is if the deer are nearby and they see me, they stop and stare. Maybe they think I am a wolf. They are partly right here! Hopefully they are not insulting me and thinking I am a coyote. I will be barking and chasing them then for that insult, har har!
I do hope a buck drops an antler so I can grab it and chew on it. This would be simpler than me chasing the buck, tackling it and pulling on an antler to see if it is ready for release. That’s the wolf genes in me coming out!
I will continue to guard the door and my treats inside the home, so deer take note and steer clear, har har! —Cameron the Weim
The Ocean’s Menace offers a fine example of this aspect of Rutledge as a creative writer. The title is misleading, because it immediately conjures images of something massive, such as a white shark, devilfish, whale, or other leviathan. Instead, “The Ocean” is a remote, treacherous tract of land near Hampton where hunters dared not venture and which locals viewed with a mixture of awe and alarm. It provides an ideal setting for this tale. Rutledge was at his best when writing of whitetails, because deer hunting is woven as a bright thread through the entire fabric of his life. Here though, instead of yet another tale of a mighty stag or an antlered giant, the quarry proves to be the hunter’s salvation. Buy Now
