Stag Party 12-12

I had a lovely garden blog planned for today, but we had wild kingdom here tonight so I didn't get the mornings pics edited and watching the show outside has now made it later than planned to get this entry done and I'm ready for bed.

I think I mentioned yesterday the Big Daddy buck and a two pointer playing around.  The youngster kept butting the big guy and it seemed he was in training.  These are pictures of them from yesterday, the younger one was about half the BD's size.















This evening just as it was getting dark we noticed the deer racing around and it was the Big Daddy chasing a doe all over the place and buck after buck kept coming out of the trees.  There ended up being five and two of them were good sized too .  The BD kept his good eye on the spectators and would rush them if they got too close during his pursuit of the doe.  She was playing hard to get and led him on a merry chase around trees and bushes and would stop long enough for him to give it a try and then off she would go again.  This went on for quite awhile until they disappeared and all was quiet for awhile.  We don't know who "won", but we later saw BD and he was panting up a storm.

A few hours later we heard something bang into the porch or house, we weren't really sure.  Larry ran and flipped on all the flood lights and we could see a buck or two but then Larry opened the frosted bathroom windows to look at the hill behind the house and we had ring side seats to BD and another big buck locked in serious battle.  One must have backed another into the house at some point.  It is something to see bucks battle close up.  You can hear them grunting, their antlers are clacking and they drive each others heads to the ground.  Dirt is flying and they drive each other backwards not caring what they are running into.  They dislodged the cinderblocks on our fancy bench on the hill.  I wish I had gotten pictures but didn't want to miss anything by running and getting the camera.  I'm sure over the years we'll see another battle or two.  They are probably still at it out there...maybe not the same ones but I could hear antlers clacking out there somewhere when I was brushing my teeth and the neighbors dog keeps barking.  I'm hoping they are done for the night.

I'll finish with a picture I took while out in the garden this morning and tomorrow I'll do today's intended post.