Why Does a Deer Cross the Creek?

Several weeks ago we were riding the rail-trail on a day that promised to be unpleasantly hot and humid. We’d gone as far as we were going to go and stopped to sit on a large rock and have a snack before heading back the way we’d come. The rock was on the edge of the trail with a view of the adjacent creek and a few islands.

On one of the islands three white-tailed deer were feeding; after a few minutes they walked over to the streambank and into the water. This is the time of year when white-tail bucks form bachelor groups and hang around together until early fall when they will become rivals instead of buddies. Two young bucks growing antlers and one antlerless deer made up this group –

The deer reached the near side of the stream when several other bicycle riders came down the trail. That was enough for the deer and with a few bounds they reached the island, crossed it, and then somewhat more sedately made their way across the main channel and onto the far shore.