Author Topic: Yikes!!!! A deer in my pond. Update....sad ending. (Read 5748 times)

Indiana Karen · « **on:** August 14, 2006, 06:31:26 PM »

You cannot imagine how shocked we were to see this a few days ago! Our pond is only 25 feet from our house and right outside our living room window. She was eating lily pads and blooms. We have a lot of deer in our area but had never seen one close to the pond, never even imagined ever seeing one in the pond. We didn't want to "spook" her because we were afraid she could cause some damage if she left in a hurry. She took her time and we took lots of pictures. She was in there fourteen minutes!!! Now the sad news, she had a bad front leg and her tongue was all messed up and hanging way out of her mouth, poor thing. We think she has probably been hit by a vehicle on the road. Felt so sorry for her.

Jerry · « **Reply #1 on:** August 14, 2006, 06:34:43 PM »

Wonderful phots. She didn't get spooked!

small fish · « **Reply #2 on:** August 14, 2006, 07:36:18 PM »

The deer is great

.... but Wow,

what a pond.... I want to go out and enlarge my own pond after seeing yours :-\and I just did that last year... went from about 200 or 300 gals to 2,200 gals...

Myra

louis · « **Reply #3 on:** August 14, 2006, 07:49:14 PM »

first of all, love your pond. does it have a liner or is it mud bottom, their hooves are sharp and will pierce a liner.

secondly she does look sad.

lou

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #4 on:** August 14, 2006, 08:31:31 PM »

Thanks for the compliments on our pond. It has a heavy rubber liner (45 mil EPDM) and covered with gravel, but I'm sure it wasn't made to stand up to a deer's hooves. Myra, hubby designed our pond and didn't want to have to go back to enlarge it, it is 7,500 gal. I'll never forget when he dug it, ?)(?I thought he had lost his mind. I had planned on a pond a lot smaller, but I love it!!!!!!!

Karen

maryvonne · « **Reply #5 on:** August 14, 2006, 08:34:35 PM »

I agree, your pond is gorgeous! Poor deer though. Probably why it came so close to your house. Very nice photos.

Maryvonne

EagleEye · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2006, 05:19:18 AM »

Wow!

What a story and photos. No doubt, that you did the right thing in not spooking the deer. Hopefully, she walked slowly and didn't do any hoof damage.

But what an unbelievably gorgeous pond and plantings.

Cindi · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2006, 05:25:20 AM »

I have to second everyone elses statement....what a gorgeous pond!

I would love to see more pictures of it.
Poor deer, he/she figured they had it made in your pond!

Joyce · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2006, 08:06:05 AM »

Beautiful pond, and the deer looks right at home!

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2006, 08:09:29 AM »

Well, she came back! I saw her earlier this morning in the front of the house. Just now walked through the kitchen and there she stood in our stream!!! Her injuries are worse than we thought. The place on her side that looked wet in the earlier pics is now a sore and both of her knees have sores on them, but her mouth is better. We didn't want her to get in the pond so we opened the door and talked to her. She left quietly and headed toward the farm pond. We also have a nice creek that winds through our property, so she has plenty of places to go.
Karen

KC · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2006, 10:02:25 AM »

That is just so cool................................KC

Desertponder · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2006, 10:33:45 AM »

Wow! Who wouldn't want to be in that setting?! :)Its beautiful! Poor girl, she does look a little haggard. She probably was clipped by a car. She looks thin.

Sean · « **Reply #12 on:** August 15, 2006, 03:38:45 PM »

Glad it is your pond and not mine...
Hope it didn't do any damage.

Cheers,
Sean

mcp · « **Reply #13 on:** August 15, 2006, 07:47:31 PM »

Karen, Love the pictures of your pond and the deer. Your pond is absolutely gorgeous. The deer looks very peaceful. We have many deer near our house to but do not want them in pond. Thanks for posting pictures.

Bonnie · « **Reply #14 on:** August 15, 2006, 07:57:39 PM »

Karen, it's about time that you've finally taken some more pix of your beautiful pond!

I just love it!

Glad no damage was done from the deer and hope it will stay out of your pond..
Also Hoping that it's wounds heal.

Teresa · « **Reply #15 on:** August 15, 2006, 08:15:02 PM »

Your pond is awesome . . . . no wonder the poor thing came to spend time there! Hope she gets better and hope she doesn't trash your pond. I don't have to deal with deer, living in the inner city, so I haven't a clue what you're dealing with, just glad you are calm about her visits.

livetogarden · « **Reply #16 on:** August 15, 2006, 08:55:37 PM »

As everyone else has said...your pond is gorgeous!!!

I hope the deer feels she has a safe haven at your property so she can heal. That is, of course, while staying out of your pond.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #17 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:05:51 PM »

Sad ending on my deer story. We heard dogs back in the woods behind our house this morning. Found the deer dead in the creek. We don't know who the dogs belong to, didn't really get a good look at them. Now those beautiful pictures just make me sad. :'(

Bonnie · « **Reply #18 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:08:50 PM »

Oh so sorry Karen!
I know Deer can be a nuisance to people but I love them!

Was this a pack of dogs? Do you think they killed the Deer or it died of it's injuries.

That's so sad...... :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

barb · « **Reply #19 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:13:56 PM »

What a gorgeous, gorgeous pond!! Poor deer, though. I'm glad to see you are so tolerant of her. We have a lot of deer here, and they come close to the house, but my tiny pond is surrounded by a little fence, and it's probably more of an amusement to the deer than an enticement. TFS those pics!

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #20 on:** August 16, 2006, 03:31:01 PM »

No Bonnie, the dogs killed her. Hubby heard the dogs barking then decided to go investigate, as he got closer, he heard the deer, but was too late. He saw two dogs but didn't get a very good look, one of them he has seen before but we don't know who it belongs to. The weeds are over your head along the bank, and it was down in the creek bed in a couple feet of water.

Bonnie · « **Reply #21 on:** August 16, 2006, 04:03:30 PM »

That makes things even worse.. because she died because of a pack of dogs.

Oh that's so sad... :'(

Years ago my cousin saved a deer that was attacked by a pack of dogs. It's a miracle that it ever lived thru it but took a very long time for the deer to recover because it was such a mess.

Yes, nature kills but that's not a part of nature!

livetogarden · « **Reply #22 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:13:16 PM »

I am a dog lover big time, but this is horrible. Dogs should be fenced or leashed if they're pets and if they're wild they need to be caught. This is so sad. The poor deer!!
Cath

tinkster · « **Reply #23 on:** August 16, 2006, 08:16:26 PM »

Karen,, your pond is absolutely gorgeous! So natural looking.. which is what I am trying so hard to acheive... I have to copy!

So sorry about the deer but if he had been well would he have been able to escape the dogs? Maybe they saved him from a slow painful death?? Just a thought.

Tinkster

Pa Nancy · « **Reply #24 on:** August 17, 2006, 07:52:26 AM »

Karen you do have a BEAUTIFUL pond.

In these parts we SHOOT dogs that do those things.

I'd be watchfull of the kids. Don't know what those dogs will go for next.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #25 on:** August 17, 2006, 08:59:14 AM »

Dog attacks are pretty common in this area. A few years ago, dogs got into our pen of pygmy goats and yes Nancy, we shot one of them. We lost six goats that morning. We have also been on the other end of it. Our son was visiting over Christmas one year and brought his Husky with him. He told me not to let the dog loose because we would never catch him. Well, I didn't listen...I had been playing catch outside with him, got a phone call, came inside, and the dog left. The next morning the neighbor was standing at our door, he had tracked the dog through fresh snow back to our house and we were the proud owners of $700.00 worth of fancy chickens we couldn't even eat! I know the poor deer was weakened by her bad leg and didn't have a chance and yes, it probably did put her out of her misery, but what an awful way to go.
Thanks for all the comments on my pond, I will try to get some new pictures to post.
Karen

Desertponder · « **Reply #26 on:** August 17, 2006, 11:10:49 AM »

Awww, sorry about the deer. Poor thing. I have to wonder if the dogs may have been responsible for her original injuries?? Maybe??
Dogs running loose that attack and kill wildlife around here don't have a chance. People will shoot them on the spot if they catch them and then they hang them on a fence.
We used to have problems when we lived up in the mountains. Had dogs attack and tear up our sheep a couple of times and harass the horses.

Bonnie · « **Reply #27 on:** August 17, 2006, 11:19:59 AM »

Yes even a normally good dog can turn bad when they run in a pack.
As far as the chicken incident, I wouldn't be surprised if the dog was just playing rough without an intent to kill.

Yes please share more pix of your pond when you can Karen! I need a few more to save to my "Indiana Karen" folder on my computer!

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #28 on:** August 17, 2006, 12:17:31 PM »

Wow, Bonnie, I have a folder on your computer?!!

How cool is that!!!!!!! You know you're not that far away, you're welcome to come visit some time!

Karen

Bonnie · « **Reply #29 on:** August 17, 2006, 02:00:46 PM »

LOL, yes Karen I'm sneaky.. All of the beautiful ponds get saved to my computer.

Some of you just don't post enough pix though!