Stalked

While it's true that many people walk over Blacka and rarely if ever see the deer, those who look carefully get to know where the likely places are. They are large animals and it's not like the process of tracking down small mammals, reptiles, or even badgers. Nevertheless deer prefer to stay hidden if they can which is why they like the woodland and the woodland edge.

The penetrating winds this morning suggested they would be in the more sheltered parts and it was not long before tracks were spotted.



Children could easily become expert stalkers at this level. Some of us remember spending happy hours being 'red indians' complete with home-made and pretty harmless bows and arrows.



They looked like the same three stags that were out in the open yesterday when the air was calm. How much more like the wild woods they are when live wild animals stare out at you through the branches. However many times you see this it is always a thrill because it's something we have mostly lost during all the years that wildness has been systematically attacked and all but eradicated from our lives. We have been the poorer for it.