snow and deer tracks...

Living on a large piece of land surrounded by farmers fields can lead to strange meetings.I was washing dishes looking out my window the other day when I saw a 4X4 truck pulling a trailer with an ATV heading out behind my property. I decided to get my jacket and boots on curious to see where this vehicle was going and why. The property outback is 85 acres in size with an old abandoned railway trail, ravine and forest which is home to a large population of wildlife. Technically it is still part of my lot that was originally part of a 200 acre land grant that was given to David Willson, a Vermont Quaker who came to town in 1802.....and although the land was severed years ago now being owned by a prospective buyer who leases the land to Farmer Don ..I still felt I needed to check out these characters trespassing on the land. Running back about 3 acres I saw them....as I approached the truck...they were pulling gear out of the pickup...hunters dressed in camouflage from head to toe suiting up with bow and arrow in hand on the look out for deer. I frantically waved my arms making human noise...hoping I wouldn't be their target and suddenly thinking how stupid I was to put myself in danger. It turns out Farmer Don had given these two permission to legally hunt. The deer have been wrecking his crops and wants them to be hunted to help control the deer population. Before turning away, I pleaded with the hunters to leave the mama deer alone... (I am sure looking like a total PETA nut in the process) ...but the cranky old hunter grunted at me that he was only looking for the stag......and although it didn't make me feel any better ..at least I knew the mama deer would be saved.........heading back to my house.....I saw her tracks in the snow..the same tracks she had made only the morning before when she was beside my fence hiding in the brush looking for food.........I only hope she will outsmart those two old farts and hide out till spring and tell the stag to be on the look out.