Mule deer visitor

Dear Editor,

I have lived in the Westmount subdivision since May 1987. Back then, I can’t remember seeing many deer in town except maybe at Mac Park when I met my Ham radio friends for breakfast at the restaurant that used to be there.

In the last five years, the population of mule deer seen in the city has almost exploded. These mule deer, known now as urban deer, have become a common sight. Several people who live in our cul-de-sac have shrubs on our front lawns. Those have become a food source for hungry deer.

One morning in late Dec. 2024, I took our dog for a walk to Westmount Park around 10 a.m. About 6 a.m., I had seen a large buck bedded down across the street and up a few houses. I waited until later in the morning to venture out with our dog, not wanting to encounter that particular deer. As my dog and I were coming back along Collingwood Drive, a large mule deer buck came from the back yard of a house and was approaching the street using their driveway. The buck, which I now believe was a different buck from the one I had seen earlier, spotted me with my dog.

Immediately, the deer locked its eyes onto us, its ears went back, and it started coming straight toward us. “This does not look good,” was about all I remember thinking. As the buck got closer, I could see that it was licking at its nose, sniffing, and trying to identify us.

At this point, I started to yell at it. It kept coming, taking deliberate steps, one after the other, with its eyes locked upon us. An overwhelming sense of fear took over; I tried to assure myself that panicking and trying to outrun the deer was the wrong thing to do. As we rounded the corner at Collingwood where the new duplexes are (1505–1509), the deer stood for a moment at the edge of pavement and lawn. Two people witnessed what had happened.

In the past, I have believed in guardian angels. Did one keep the deer from attacking us? All I know is that the deer stopped, and it gave me time to pick up the pace and make a bee line for home. When I got in the house with our dog, Buddy, I was shaking. Only a few minutes earlier, a full force attack by a large mule deer buck was what I had thought was going to happen.

Since then, there has been a large buck hanging around our neighbourhood. It has bedded down on our front lawn only 8 feet in front of our front door.  Buddy is now afraid to go for a walk on our usual route.

 Being a 70-year-old senior citizen, I don’t feel like being the victim of an attack and ending up dead or in long term care.  What level of government is culpable and therefore responsible for financial compensation for veterinary care or long-term human care?

There are some things for us to consider, Editor Sullivan. I’ve attached a couple of photos of the deer that has been sitting in the front yards of our cul-de-sac. 

— John Noakes
Kamloops

Lost in translation

Dear Editor,

I have read Arjun Singh’s article in the February issue, Dealing with Trump’s Tariffs in Kamloops, three times, and I still can’t decipher what he is trying to say.  He finishes by saying he would welcome readers’ thoughts, whether we agree or disagree, but first we have to figure out what it is he’s saying!

 — Nancy Killick

 Kamloops