When your house is on a canyon, you get used to living in close proximity with nature. Trees fall. Deer hang out in your driveway. Sometimes, nature is more violent than other times. A few years ago, two bucks got into a battle to the death in our driveway during mating season. One of the bucks saw me standing on the porch and charged me. Fortunately, I was able to get inside and hold the door shut while he pounded it with his antlers.
After all was said and done, one was dead two feet from our front door. After Animal Control came and took the dead buck away, this was left to clean up. There was blood on our car, blood all up and down the driveway, and blood on the front of the house. The battle had destroyed the wooden housing holding the sprinkler system, as well as the electrical outlets on the front of the house. Fortunately, no people were hurt, although it was sad to watch a deer die in horrible pain right in front of our house.
Below, a more peaceful deer, hanging out beside a fallen tree. My husband often comes face-to-face with this guy when he gets into his car in the morning.
