Deer Play Dead?

If you ride enough, you tend to end up with a variety of deer stories. They are just that prevalent. However, today's event caught me a bit off guard.

I was riding at a pretty firm tempo through Wilderness East of 14th Street, when I rounded a turn and found myself next to a mother deer and her two fawns. They bolted, I coasted but I had ended up mere feet from one of the fawns and was nearly overtaking it despite backing off the pedals. It took two more scrambled, gangly strides, then dropped directly on to the single track and froze.

I stopped a couple of feet behind it somewhat amazed by what had happened, then said, "It's alright little guy," in a soft voice. (You know, the 'I won't hurt you' voice from after school television.) He just sat there with his long legs akimbo under him, looking a lot like a giant brown spider with white polka dots.

After another beat or two, he hopped up and bounced into the woods. It occurred to me then that perhaps I should have gotten his picture, but it seemed like that was more than enough for the little guy. No photos, please.

Deer play dead. I had no idea.