NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND FORUM

Yesterday we had a close encounter with a deer which decided to pay us a visit (why do you never have a camera to hand with fully charged batteries!). It took us over half an hour to persuade it to leave our garden - just as well the dogs were inside the house at the time. The poor thing had obviously run out of the forest away from the hunters - Sunday morning is a favourite time for the "chasseurs" to be out and about in the forest with their guns - which was the reason the dogs were inside, away from any stray bullets and drunken hunters! Anyway the deer had jumped our elkhound proof fence into the garden but then couldn't find its way out again and by the time it had charged up and down and around the garden/paddock (4,500 sq metres) I think it was too exhausted to jump the fence again. We eventually cornered it in the veggie patch and managed to get a rope round its neck thinking we could lead it to the gate 110 metres away to let it out. But the deer had other ideas and was so exhausted it just lay down completely out of breath. It lay there and let Malcolm stroke its neck and speak to it in a soothing voice. I must admit to being cowardly and not getting too close which proved a wise decision as after 5 minutes rest it suddenly sprung up kicking out its back legs and Malcolm had to move rather quickly as well. After 3 unsuccessful attempts at trying to lead it out we gave that idea up took the rope from around its neck and let it run loose again - opened the side gate wide and eventually managed to herd it towards the gate and out into the adjacent field. Hopefully it found its way back to the forest and didn't encounter any stray hunters on the way. This is the first time in 6 years that a deer has actually come into the garden - such a beautiful little creature it was and absolutely scared stiff of us.

Living in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains in Montana, USA, this is a pretty common occurance here. Yesterday a deer had 2 of the Elkhounds on the run in their big exercise area. She was chasing THEM. Great hunters!