Jason and Charlie have a list of the unusual birds and events that visit and happen in the Bottoms. It is fascinating. We have been visited by a lot of unusual birds at rare intervals. Brown Pelicans, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Snow Bunting and Snowy Owl come quickly to my memory. We see Armadillos at times. Water and food are great attractants.
I have previously discussed the deer herd in the Bottoms. There are fawns on the ground and I have seen lots of twins and triplets. Their mothers will be busy. It is still strange to me to see does with fawns 30 yards off the main road that remain mostly hidden and undisturbed by the traffic and obvious risk of exposure. I’m sure the coyotes and bobcats travel the main roads at night, and they certainly pose a significant risk to a newborn deer. They must have some sense of safety that I can’t decipher when they pick that area to use for a birthing room and nursery. I honor the advice to “never doubt a determined mother” but I would at least have a discussion. From my standpoint, it is great to be able to peek into the bedroom and get a quick picture without driving them out of the safety of the thick reeds. There are so many things I would like to know.
We had an unusual deer in the Bottoms last week. I was about a mile east of headquarters just puttering around when I flushed a stranger out of the roadside brush. A mule deer buck with a missing left antler jumped up from being bedded down and ran north to thick cover. I managed to get a couple of images to share on Facebook. He looked healthy and strong. We will never know what happened to the left antler. He still had velvet on the right horn that was forked as you can see. He isn’t big, and I suspect he will be safe during hunting season due to the missing antler — except for the fact that he meets the criteria for “veal”.
I have never seen a mule deer in the Bottoms before — only white-tailed deer. Mule deer are most prevalent in the western one-third of the state. I have seen small groups of mule deer north and west of Hoisington, but this is my first encounter in the Bottoms. You never know what will pop up. We have seen occasional elk and had a big bull north of Great Bend last year. Always keep your eyes open — we live in such a great place to see things that people travel long distances and pay thousands of dollars to see and photograph. I am still awed by the success of KWEC and the Friends of the Cheyenne Bottoms in promoting and sharing our bounty. Our dedicated people make our place better all the time. Jason and his associates have certainly done a lot this year.
Events and critters like this keep us on high alert all the time. Watch the road, wear your seat belt, and scan the surrounding territory and perches for our wildlife. You never know when you will see a mule deer or a Bob White Quail on a balance beam training for the Olympics!
Doc

Doctor Dan Witt is a retired physician and nature enthusiast.