Remember When: the fox and the fawn

Early the other morning, as we left the Sacred Heart Church, a memory to behold was the first sighting of new fawns in the area. Four little spotted fawns were jumping and running on the playground behind the church as their two mothers grazed on a nearby field.

All spring we had seen the mothers along a ditch bank as we came to church, but now they must have felt it safe to bring the fawns forth. As the fawns ran across the field toward the church, one doe decided the fawns had gone far enough. She called them back. They jumped and played as they went back, two of them hurriedly went to their mother and began to nurse.

A number of years ago I observed movement along our garden fence. I went to investigate and what a sight to behold. Here, a little spotted fawn was jumping up every few feet in the tall grass as it came down the fence line. I could not figure out what was going on. As I watched, a baby fox appeared ahead of the fawn. As the fawn jumped up at it, it moved forward and then the fawn would jump at it again. This play went on for about seventy feet and then the little fox ran into the heavy grapevines, ending the playtime. The little fawn then hurriedly returned to what I imagine was the place its mother had hidden it while she was feeding across the fence in s field.

As a child growing up, I can only remember seeing deer in our area once or twice, although their were always deer in the hills near the high school. My dad would take us on drives out Dersch, Black Butte and Ash Creek roads to see large herds of deer and their babies in the early summertime, before they moved higher into the mountains. People who live near the Anderson River Park must try and protect their gardens from the herds that are here who do not seem to ever migrate. I imagine as the lions follow the herds down into the valley and more homes and wandering dogs invade the deer’s old feeding grounds; the deer feel it is safer here. They are lovely to look at, but they love our gardens and fruit trees, thus causing much damage. At latest count, there are nearly 20 does and eight or nine bucks in our area along the river. The deer travel back and forth feeding on gardens and fruit trees. I sure hope all the does do not all have twins.

In years past, there were some white-colored deer on Cow Creek. Now, some of the does have large, light-gray spots on them, perhaps originating from the Cow Creek herd.