Murder in Deer Valley

Posted on February 3, 2020 by TJ

I re-organized the chest freezer and the kitchen cupboards on Friday but didn’t stop there. I sorted through my closet yesterday, getting rid of clothes that I no longer wear. I’ve also been working on organizing the library, even sorting through our file cabinet. I still have more straightening up to do in the library. I suspect I might have a touch of Spring fever?

With such a mild winter it’s not surprising that we are thinking of Spring–but it’s only just February and really much too early for Spring. EJ and I both agreed that there are still weeks left for Winter to hammer us. But sometimes it’s difficult not to let hope for Spring’s arrive rise. Although I actually like winter too.

Today the sky was blue and the temps into the mid-40s so EJ and I walked down to the mailbox for our mail. About halfway down the driveway, EJ suddenly exclaimed, “Holy CRAP!” He had spotted a body at the bottom of the small valley we have nicknamed “Deer Valley” because we’ve often seen the grass flattened where they bed down overnight.

The body was what remained of a deer. EJ went down for a closer look but I continued on to the mailbox because I didn’t want to see more than what I had already seen. Although I did take some photos from further back.

It was rather gruesome: The body was torn apart with pieces here and there and the ribs were bare. Things like this remind me that behind the bucolic scenery and beautiful wildlife that we so enjoy, there is a brutal life and death fight for survival. I am aware of this, and I know it is the way of things, but I really do not like to be a witness to it. It makes me sad to think that one of the deer we enjoy was killed.

It made me feel a bit vulnerable to think of the vicious predator(s) attacking and devouring the deer just over the hill from the house. It makes me wonder whose eyes are watching us from the forest. If the whatever-it-was could bring down a deer, will it consider us or Hannah Joy prey as well? Creepy. Predators are why I lock up the chickens and cats safely in their coop at night. We hadn’t heard anything, although Hannah Joy had been trying to pull me down the driveway for the last day or two so I’m assuming she smelled it. EJ says it was probably coyotes, but there are other predators in the area as well. Yikes.

Here are some of the photos I took of the “crime scene.” Don’t look at them if you are squeamish.

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