A Wild Fear

I woke early this morning and decided to go for a walk up the hill. It was about 5am. On my way I walk up a road that borders farmland, which in turn borders the hill and the forest. Up ahead there were two roe deer on the pavement, feeding on the verge.

They spotted me and trotted off around the bend ahead. Around the bend ahead I came upon them again. One of them ran off down another road but the other one tried to get through the wire fence, and became stuck.

I’ve had to rescue rams and sheep from wire and brambles more than once before. So, I approached this deer. It was only small, but I’ve never seen such a wild fear and desire to escape this predator, me, as I approached. It made a loud, quite grotesque, scream as the trapped head stayed still while the body and legs were crazily twisting and kicking out. Horrible to witness and to hear.

There was no way I could get near it without causing both the deer and myself damage. It was hard to leave, but I had to, with the intention of returning later when it had calmed down, tired itself out, or managed to escape. Fortunately, when I did return an hour and a half later it was the latter. What a relief.

I have never to my knowledge been the cause of such fear before.

I hope that I never am again.