It is coming on to early fall and we are having annual problem with increasing deer attack on the yard.  A problem all year long but worse at this time of the season. 

Deer have always been a problem here in Comox Valley since a few years ago a bunch of bleeding hearts worked the local council to declare our valley a Deer freindly zone where they could not be hunted or harmed in any way.  I expect there was a big party afterwards where dandelion wine was consumed. 

Of course over the years natural selection has come along and we are now infested with deer as they move out of the woods.  There is now 100 times as many deer in the valley than would ever have been here under normal situations.  Lets face it if they had shaved tails we would think of them as rats, but they have a better PR so they are considerd cute. 

Yet everyone with a garden HATES them.  When we discuss this hatred at social meetings there are furitive looks over the shoulder in case the Environmentalists are listening and have us arrested.  

I have tried to protect our garden with motion detector lights and water ejectors, but at this time of the year the beasts ignore them (or have gotten used to the motions).  This morning I woke to find all the rest of our flowers destroyed as well as many other plants.  This is not a drought situation as the bushes in the forest are lush so there is lots to eat, it is clearly the arrogant attitude of the deer that they can do anything because they are PROTECTED. 

We have had reports of a cougar and a bear in the neighbourhood and I hope it is true.  As long as people keep there pets and kids indoors through this period it will be great, as the carnivores will devour Deer.  Of course the deer lovers are calling for the authorities to take away the cougar and the bear thus denying natural selection.    Interesting they are calling for a cull of the animals that that should be here but not for a cull of the over- infestation of the rats (deer) 

My neighbour says give up and tells me to just fence in the yard and accept the situation (he also hates deer but glories in the beautiful yard he has since he put up a fence) but I will not give in.

Maybe I will start to sleep through the day and stay up all night with a baseball bat in the back yard to protect the garden.  (which has introduced the issue of what I would do with the dead body in the event I am successful, but I could live with that)

Pat thinks I am over-reacting.  She thinks they are cute.  Maybe some venison steaks will change her mind (which particially solves the problem of the body disposal)…..