Company at the Aerie

Had a visitor to the yard this afternoon. I've had six or seven does running around the place at twilight, morning and night, for a couple of days. It was good to see this big guy show up.

The swollen neck indicates he's a participant in the rut. Maybe that's why the girls were so antsy this week.

Terry heard a noise out behind the garage a couple of nights ago. Enough that she decided NOT to take the car that was parked over there fearing a big, black bear might have been in the area. The next day I spotted a fresh rub on a small sapling in the area and thought it might have been a buck and not a bear. Perhaps it was this guy.

Now if only he'll stay around until rifle season starts on December 1st. In PA you need at least three points on one side for a buck to be legal, and he's got the required number on both sides being a 4x3. Nice length on the tines, too.