Getting the Point

Three young mule deer bucks, part of our neighborhood herd, decided to hang in our front yard this morning. They seem to enjoy resting in our mulched xeriscaped area beside a small patch of lawn. They relax, occasionally chewing their cud. One buck gets up and jabs one of his friends in the side with his antlers. They begin to spar, antlers entangling and clacking like castanets. It seems all in good fun and they soon return to chilling out in our garden.

The deer stay for a long time; resting, chewing, jabbing, and sparring. I go outside to take a photo and have a conversation. They do not seem to care. These city deer are quite used to us two legged creatures. I engage in a stare-down with one of the stags and we share a moment of silent acknowledgment—something about walking on the same planet. Eventually the little cadre moves on to other yards. 

I remember Loren Eisley, the great anthropologist and writer, telling a story in which he shared a playful moment with a wild fox. He mused that it was one of the more significant experiences in his life that no one would understand. This moment with a young buck in our front yard is like that. There is something about being around a wild creature, even one who has adapted to city life. I know we had a conversation but it did not involve human speech. What is there to share? Maybe just this story.