George on the Mend

Last week George was having trouble with his front left leg, limping and not making it to feeding time which, as you might guess, is a sure sign that all is not well.Wendy contacted Dr. Willows at Thousand Island Vets and Don drove to Gananoque to discuss the limp with the vet. He felt it was likely a sprain, not a break or dislocation and it probably occurred when George slipped on ice or was butted by another deer. An anti-inflammatory medication was prescribed for at least once a day for 10 days.

This is the first time we have tried to give one of the bucks any medicine and it has been an "adventure". We mix the powder with juice in a hollowed out portion of a small apple.

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It then takes at least 3 of us and much experimentation to figure out how to get the meds just to George without re-injuring him. We have to practise patience to wait for George to come to us rather than going towards him. The rest of the herd seems to get easily spooked to see so many of us at once, and they will all head back to the trees at the far end of the reserve which is a long journey for a deer with a bum leg.

One person feeds apples and carrots to the herd trying to direct them away from George as he limps in. Another person concentrates on feeding EGee who sometimes likes to butt George if he thinks that he's getting the lion's share of the goodies. The third person sees to it that George gets his special medicated apples and is able to keep clear of the other bucks. Each person has a medicated apple just in case George comes close by.

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Some days George doesn't show up and can't be seen. One day George and Buddy were "lost" so Allan and Wendy trekked through deep snow to the outer edges to try to find him. When they came back to the barn, exhausted, both deer were hanging out near the barn as if they had been there forever!

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Yesterday was day 6 and we hope to finish up the medication drill on Sunday. Happily George's condition is improving daily, he is moving with a slight limp now despite the deep and drifting snow and very cold temperatures. He asked me to thank Dr. Willows and all the people who have helped in the somewhat crazy "get-the-meds-into-George" dance including Allan, Wendy, Don, Jane, Bruce, Miesje and Melody.

Did you hear the good news?

The purchase of the new site of the Fallow Deer Reserve was completed on January 17, 2007.

Max was happy to hear the news and to get a sneak preview (via photo) of the herd's new home. Our 13 bucks will take up permanent residence here in June, after a 10+ acre fence is installed and as soon as each has lost his antlers and before velveting begins. The colder weather has the herd eating hay now in addition to apples, corn and carrots. Recently we tried them on pumpkin which some of them enjoyed, too.

There is much planning and work to be done but we are happy to report that this major hurdle has been crossed and duly celebrated by the deerkeepers!

Grass is green and calendars are on the way

Happy 2007 everyone. We are happy to report that the bucks are still grazing on the green grass that continues to appear in the wet areas of the reserve. And they are all putting on weight which is unusual for wintertime. So far, they aren't that interested in hay but, of course, continue to love the corn, apples and carrots that they get every few days.

Deerkeepers are busy with plans for the fencing on the new site in the Wilton area which will provide the bucks with natural shelter, pasture and quiet.

If you have ordered a calendar, rest assured we just got notice that they have been shipped and should be here this week. Sorry for the delay.

Please fence me in

Today's the day (5:30pm) that CKWS Kingston will air the segment shot yesterday at the reserve. Don and Wendy did a great job as did George, EGee and the rest of the boys who came in on cue to Allan and Bruce and stayed for the entire 30 minutes. Anthony Agostino was able to feed both George and EGee and this was caught on camera, too.

We are happy to report that we have secured land (15+ acres) in the Odessa area for the bucks' permanent home for the next 15+ years! Now our need is to fence the new reserve which will keep the herd safe, protected from predators. This means 8 foot deer fencing which has smaller squares at the bottom and larger at the top. It also means over 300 steel fence posts (10 feet). If you have the fencing or the posts, new or used, we want to make a deal with you! Please call Don Murphy at 613-386-1355 .

If you want to volunteer your time to work with the deer (socializing and feeding), please call Allan Park at 613-386-3673.

2007 Calendars are ready!

We just created some 2007 desk calendars with a different deer named photo for each month and George on the cover as you can see above. They measure 8 inches by 4 inches and are in full colour.

If you make a donation of $25 or more, we will rush your calendar to you by return mail. Please order before December 15, 2006 if you want one for Christmas. Send cheque payable to "Fallow Deer Reserve" and mention the calendar: c/o Jane McDonald, 204 Simmons Road, RR2, Odessa ON K0H 2H0.

Giving Ideas

Some of you have asked how you can help the reserve.

Your knowledge, thoughts and suggestions are always welcome. You can add your comments in this blog by clicking on the "Comments" box at the bottom of any entry and that message is automatically forwarded to us.

Apple, carrot or hay bale donations are needed as well as any expertise you may have such as fence building, fundraising, etc.

You may wish to consider making a financial contribution:

Buck: For a donation of $100 or more, you become the official sponsor of one of our boys, whichever one you wish. You will receive a certificate of sponsorship along with a photo of the buck you have "adopted". We can also arrange a visit to meet your buck in person and send you updates and photos via email of how your dear deer is doing. A grandmother has sponsored a buck for her grand-daughter. We were able to introduce him to the child and include a photo of their meeting on the certificate of sponsorship. While quantities last, such a gift also includes a hat, t-shirt or pen. This makes for an unusual and welcome gift on birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or any special day.

Spiker: For a donation of $50, you become an official friend and receive a visit to the reserve to meet your buck as well as regular email updates and photos.

Fawn: Any donation will give your family an invitation to visit the reserve by appointment and meet each of our bucks.


Here's some examples of what your dollars could provide:

$156 will feed each buck for one year
$100 will purchase 10 bags of corn, 50 bales of hay, 30 feet of fencing, one visit from the vet
$50 will provide shelter maintenance for six months
$45 will provide vitamin and mineral supplement lick for one year
$15 will feed each buck for one month with a good diet of hay, corn, apples and carrots

To make a financial gift, go to www.fallowdeerreserve.com

Thanks to the Work Crew

A big thanks to everyone who came out to help "winterize" the reserve on Saturday. Under Don's excellent guidance and hammer, a large roofed area was completed just outside the grey barn with help from David and Jason. Paul built a new door which will allow the bravest of deer to enter the barn on the coldest most wintery days and find comfort and dry straw.

Deb, Wendy and Kelly spent time repairing the fences and putting out fresh hay for our boys. Allan and Jane helped bring in the deer so that some of the crew could take a break and a closer look at the herd, watching them enjoy a corn nosh.

Your official blogger had to leave at 12 noon so apologies to others who came after and have not received credit. Wendy's brother, David, took some great pictures which you can access at by clicking on his link.