12.06.2025. RIP Bucky Deerburgher.

 

Oh, the tragedy of it all. Our resident deer, Bucky Deerburgher, met his demise last evening when a woman driver hit him in front of our house. Bucky was a magnificent eight-point deer and had dined regularly in my flower gardens and backyard. He would jump over the fence to eat a few morsels of my beautiful rhododendrons and anything else that might have fresh buds. He ate my prized lilies along the driveway, leaving behind the ordinary variety. And when I came home from work and caught him as he stood by the gate, he merely looked at me and casually jumped over the fence.

Yes, Bucky was well known to this household. He taunted the dogs as he must have sensed they could not jump the fence. This too, was Bucky’s home. He slept under the hemlock trees at night and I could find his imprint under the trees in the snow. If I approached him, he would snort at me and pound his hoof on the ground, then slowly turn away and prance over the hill. Yes, he was our Bucky, our daily friend.

Last night I let Gunnarr outside as per usual to prepare for bedtime. He started barking and I thought he could smell the scent of a squirrel or deer. I was out there with him when there was this very loud bang. I knew a car hit something but was not sure what it was. So off I go towards the car in my pajamas and slippers to find that the occupants were uninjured. They were actually able to move their car down the road. But our poor Bucky lay along the side of the road, still breathing and moving his back legs. My heart ached for him. I did not want him to suffer.

After checking on the car, I told the lady that this was our deer that was always in our yard. She said she was sorry and I said so was I. It was made worse since he was still alive and suffering. A passerby stopped and I asked them to call the police and let them know the deer was still alive but injured. I also went back home and called 911, then back out in a coat this time and waited for the police. While waiting Bucky had breathed his last and mercifully was gone. The poor deer. I felt so bad.

He is still along the driveway as the DPW has not removed him even as I write a night after the collision. My neighbor actually sawed off his antlers this morning and took them. Somehow I feel that this was an undignified approach to our friend. But I also understand the deer was dead and no longer could use these gorgeous antlers. Maybe the neighbor also knew Bucky and just wanted a remembrance of him. Who knows. 

As winter approaches and we have more snow, I'll check to see if there are any new deer tracks. They won't be Bucky's, but maybe a Bucky offspring. 

RIP Bucky, I will miss seeing you in the yard. You were a handsome, healthy deer. We all will miss you, too.

Blue lights from the police cars.

RIP Bucky, I will miss seeing you in the yard.

What a year it has been.

Until next time.......................

06/10/19 A visitor in the garden

Now I have the photographic proof. Bucky Deerburgher in the gardens! Here he is, hiding behind a lilac plant. Hummingbird feeder is in the foreground.



Usually I let the boys out in the early morning while I get ready for work. But today I decided to go outside and make sure they "empty out". Fionnegan and Gunnarr were wrestling and as soon as I opened the door to go outside, they ran back inside to continue with their games.  Shorty was lying down in the driveway watching the cars and the neighbors.

Then I heard some snorting. Much to my surprise Shorty was not paying attention and kept his vigil on the road. But I recognized the snort as once a few years ago Bucky snorted and stamped his hoof at me. Well, this Bucky was no different. He snorted again and stamped his hoof. I quickly went inside the house and grabbed my cell phone and snapped one picture right off just in case Bucky ran.  But Bucky was not going anywhere and Shorty did not sense him.  So I took a few more pictures then went to the fence to take a few more.

There were more snorts and stamping but that was about it. I also made a mental note to myself - under no circumstance, no matter how good the sale, am I to buy any more rhododendrons or mountain laurel for the back gardens. Note to self two - buy the real "deer away" stuff as the knock off brand I bought this year was not a deterrent.

But I digress.  I must have had a full three or four minutes of watching this beautiful creature watch me, the "rodent with antlers" as I frequently call them when they use my gardens as a salad bar. He let me get as close as the fence and still click away with the camera.

Then Shorty noticed that I was not taking pictures of him, Fionn, Gunnarr or flowers. Yes, there was Bucky! Well he started barking as he ran to the fence. the boys inside the house were watching from the kitchen door started barking, and the deer as expected ran away - eventually. He first watched Shorty before he decided to jaunt away, in no particular rush.

After watching this behavior, I do believe that he figured out that the dogs cannot jump the fence! Bucky was safe from those pesky little four legged creatures!  That could be why the deer keep coming back despite the dogs barking full force at them. They sense they are safe. Yesterday Shorty spotted him while he was looking out the window and the deer did not run until I came outside. So my little warriors are not that frightening to a big deer!

Bucky Deerburgher watching me watching him.



Here is Bucky aware of Shorty barking as he ran up the driveway. Initially he only twitched his head.


Finally Bucky turns and runs over the hill.


Interesting enough, he did not raise his tail as a flag sign to warn other deer of danger. I'll be back he seems to say. Sure enough he was, in the early evening he returned to a chorus of three dogs trying to keep him at large! Bold, bold, bold.



The gardens inside the fences are gorgeous. The best ever! I suspect I saw that every Spring but this year with all of the rain they are quite big and full of flowers - irises, lilacs, mountain laurel, geraniums, columbine, old fashion roses and peonies are just a few of the plants that are in flower right now.

Here are a few photographs of the flowers in bloom today.










My little warriors tracking down the deer and squirrels.

 These are the most fragrant lilacs right by the front door.
























Smaller but regular visitors to the gardens are the ruby throated hummingbirds. The pair has been around since the first azaleas have bloomed and are frequently seem by the honeysuckle. One day maybe I'll get lucky and snap a photograph of one of those lovely little but noisy birds! I suspect they must have a tiny little nest somewhere well hidden from site and predators. The honeysuckle are growing in towers so that the flowers are readily obvious for the little hummingbirds. I am tryong to plant flowers that attract hummingbirds, bees adn butterflies. So far, so good!









Hope you enjoyed the photographs of Bucky and the gardens.

Until next time...……..

May your days be many and your troubles be few. And may all God's blessings descend upon you.