Dog-gone, deer back!

©2012 Lydia Hinshaw 

Deer-hazing team poses in its golf-cart

Twin fawns inspect a boat trailer

Doe and fawn graze in somebody's yard

 WATERTON, AB -- We've always enjoyed the resident deer during our several visits to this picturesque village in Waterton National Park.  They roam the town at will, eating whatever looks good and forcing the local residents to cage their flowers and barricade their small trees.

 So we were surprised that the first animals we spotted here this week were a team of border collies who had been brought in to chase the deer away.  The dogs, all female, cheerfully posed in a golf cart while tourists snapped away.  Their handler explained that this was their last day in the park.

 Why, we wondered, did anyone want to chase the deer out of town?  Because it's been impossible to keep tourists from approaching the deer and treating them as pets.  Or ponies.  Once local lady told us there had been several incidents of parents trying to set their children astride deer for photos.

 The deer, particularly the does with fawns, are not docile animals.  They will fight if they feel threatened, and they are big enough to do considerable damage.  Parks Canada felt it appropriate to try to rid the townsite of deer before someone gets hurt, or worse.

 The dogs' enthusiastic work was only a partial success.  There were not nearly as many deer as we usually see.

 But as soon as the dogs were gone, we began to see deer again, including a doe with twins.  The lady who told us about the pony-ride incidents also assured us that this doe is the same one who raised twins here last summer.  Their pictures appeared on this blog about a year ago.

 We had to leave Waterton Wednesday morning, and we saw four deer on our way out of town.  I expect there will be more later in the summer, unless the dogs come back.