BRC Fallow Deer

Even when you leave for the weekend.  One of the best purchases we made was a driveway camera that sends us notifications when someone pulls into our driveway.  Its motion activated so it also lets us know if say a deer or a cow is out and walking on the driveway…… my biggest fallow deer fear is them getting out.  Welp, that happened yesterday. 

A big storm hit our deer farm shortly after we left for the weekend. Unbeknownst to us one of the temporary straps securing a new gate broke in the wind.  The next morning (Saturday) the driveway camera sent a notification that we both missed because we were on our way to the Kansas Elk and Deer Association annual event.  Apparently we jinxed ourselves as there was a conversation about how we all worry about gates and deer getting out. As I was heading to bed at 10:30pm the driveway camera sent another notification, so naturally I took a look at it.  Nothing to worry about just a bug or something that set off the camera but I decided to look through all the other notifications from the day to get back up to date…….. I saw a deer on the driveway… a thousand thoughts ran through my head. “It can’t be!”, “is that a fallow?” “man it looks really white to me!” So naturally I scurry to find Brendan and ask him to look too. “Surely that is the wild whitetail doe we see sometimes right?!?!” ……. “Nope, she has an ear tag”  

Brendan jumps into motion and drives two hours home. Fortunately it was just one doe that had gotten out, through the gate with the broken strap.  Thankfully her fawn was still in the pen so she was sticking close to home,  but she didn’t want anything to do with Brendan coaxing her into the pen. Brendan gave up trying at 4am and set up a new security camera (just like the driveway camera) that arrived earlier than expected in front of the open catch pen gate. At 5:43am (Sunday) Brendan’s phone went off with an alert showing the doe walking through the open deer gate. These dang deer are the only thing that would get my husband sprung out of bed and out the door at 5:43am with no glasses on, in rubber boots and yes…….. Only in his boxers.

On the upside, since she decided to be a pain and keep my husband up all night, she got to be the first deer through the new barn facility. Which he moved her through single handedly at 6am today (sunday). A little silver lining to a long night. 

Lessons learned: 
Use chains or wire to secure gates temporarily.
Technology really is our friend.
Maybe a couple more cameras is not a bad idea.   

~The Deer Wife
BRC Fallow Deer