A strange scene

Near the end of my photowalk this afternoon, I happened upon this man following some deer along the edge of the woods. The deer, normally placid animals, seemed alarmed by him and the little white dog that was walking with him. The dog was off-leash, against the park rules, and the four or five does were running away. The deer herd that makes its home in our little park is quite large, and the deer peacefully co-exist with the people and dogs who regularly share the park. That didn’t seem to be the case this afternoon however, and it puzzled me.

Finally, only one deer remained. The others had dashed into the safety of the trees. Was I imagining a threat to the deer? One thing I am sure about is the danger the fluffy little dog was in. One crack with a sharp hoof, however accidental, would have been the end of that dog. Visitors who frequent the park must learn to respect the wild animals that live there.