Good evening Steemians.
If any of you have been following along with my previous posts/vlogs then you know a little bit about the struggle I face with hunting on my farm. If you have not seen them, go to my page and check it out. You may laugh, you may cry, or you may just shake your head in disbelief. For the last two months the number of bucks, does and yearlings that we have been seeing on the camera are driving me and my girls nuts. Not to mention all the darn raccoons...ugh! Anyway my kids love to name all the deer on the farm. Floppy, Bruce, Max, Charlie, and two new addition that the girls have not named yet.
Bruce:
Max:
Charlie:
New Guy:
New Guy with the twins:
Yesterday around noon I was out in the back of the farm checking the cameras and filling the feeders and then I heard a loud screeching sound coupled with what sounded like steel sliding across the concrete. I thought nothing of it because just up the road there is a construction crew working on building an addition to a subdivision. ( Ugh!) My wife and kids were in the front yard raking leaves and jumping in the leaf piles. I sent my wife a text and asked if she heard or saw anything. She said that she did not hear anything but there was a car parked on the side of the road near our driveway. Then within 10 minutes she sent me a text that a Police Officer showed up. My wife walked up to find out if everything was okay. The lady driving the car hit a deer. She had two children with her. All three were okay, just a little shook up. I immediately stopped what I was doing and ran back to the house to see two Officers in my drive way. I asked them if everyone was okay. I got a thumbs up from the officer. The officer said she hit a buck. He said it was not wise for the girls to see him. He said there were organs all over the road.
Not to rude or inconsiderate, but once the officer said that I began thinking of which buck could it be. Man could it be Bruce, the ten pointer, our first real buck we have seen on the farm? Could it be Max? The eight pointer we have been seeing by the shop and having fun with? Charlie? Or the new additions that we have not named yet?
I just had to find out!!
Well I walked up about 50 feet from our property line and found him in the ditch all mangled. The left antler was missing from the buck's head, lodged into the tire of the car. Well the right antler was still attached.
I thought I really need to get rid of this buck because all that he will do in the ditch is decompose, smell and attract more animals that will be danger close to the road. I got the garden tractor and wagon and loaded him up. Holy crap he was heavy!! Sad waste. I took him back to the shop and positioned him in the wagon so it would not be a total shock when the kids want to look at him. They were not too freaked out. But I told them that this guy could be Max or Charlie. I would have to review the trail camera photos.
Our first grave
Luckily for me my buddy Jason let me use his Bobcat to do some work on the farm. I jumped in the Bobcat and headed towards the trail that goes to the back of the farm. I found a nice little spot under an Osage Tree and began to dig the grave. Well after a few minutes the grave was dug and the buck was lying in it. I sadly filled the grave with buckets of dirt. After it was all filled in, I mentioned to my wife that it was fun to see him (at least that is what we think) on the trail cameras.
A bit of humor
When we were finished my wife said to me "First grave on the farm huh? Will this be one of many?" Referring to the fact that we have three daughters and one will probably begin dating within the next few years. Well, I am glad we have 10 acres to choose from and a friend with a Bobcat! Ha Ha
The biggest thing is that I am happy to say that the lady and her children were okay after hitting this buck and after a tire change she was able to drive home.
Folks, deer are out moving right now. Bucks are chasing does. Please be careful and observant while you drive.
As always, have a great and blessed day and continue to help each other grow in knowledge.
Kenny
Pfeiler Family Farm
