An Apple a Day

This little doe comes to our yard at least once each day to eat apples from our tree. We believe it is the same doe each time because she is always alone and because she is more tolerant of humans than most deer. 

A friend named Heidi is licensed by the state to take in injured or orphan fawns and care for them until they are old enough to be returned to the wild. Heidi only lives a few miles away from us. We have wondered if this could be one of her fawns because that would explain why this deer is so comfortable around people.

Deer are herd animals. Their herd is populated by deer who share the same mother. If this deer was brought here from another part of the state and then released that would explain why she does not have a herd.

She has become quite a connoisseur of apples. If she does not see one on the ground that is to her liking she will stand on her hind legs and pick one from the tree. Not only that, but I have watched her as she chased other deer away from "her" apples.

We began receiving our lonely visitor last summer. Hopefully within the next few weeks she will bring her fawn out of the woods to eat apples with her. With her fawn she can begin building a herd of her very own.