There is a man in a forest, waiting, an apple in his hand.
What is he waiting for?
He sits on a fallen log, surrounded by tall grass and a lot of trees.
He takes a bite out of his apple when a deer shows up. Another one shows up and another and another.
The man bites off a big piece of apple and throws it toward the deer.
He didn’t just bring apples though.
He also brought carrots with him, which the herd of deer enjoyed.
In this forest north of Peterborough, Ontario in Canada, the deer are protected from hunting.
Humans can visit this forest but they are absolutely not allowed to hunt deer in this protected area.
Because there are very few predators and no humans who want to hurt them, the deer in this forest have learned to trust humans.
They aren’t afraid of humans.
Plus they’ve got food so they definitely want a closer look at humans. Although, it goes both ways. So many have always seen deer from a distance.
To be this close is a treat.
One of them even got near the edge of the log the man was sitting on to look for more food. The man had a carrot in his hand for this exact reason.
Because he did not want to be seen as a threat and possibly scare off the deer, the man remained on the log and threw the carrot on the ground near the deer.
He watched the deer eat the carrot and looked around for more deer around.
A doe will usually hide her fawns in the long grass to protect them from potential predators.
He may not be a predator but they don’t know it yet.
They had to test him.
Once they establish that the man isn’t a predator, they bring out their fawns in the hopes that he may have food for them.
Does often communicate with their tails, ears, and body language if it’s safe for the fawns to come out or if they need to stay hidden.
When they signal their fawns to come out while in the presence of humans, that shows how much trust they have in the human.
Thank goodness for protected forests.
Deers are free to roam and live about on their own without worry that today might be their last.
Hunting is widely legal in Canada but they have strict federal and provincial regulations for protected animals.
Anyone who wants to hunt in Canada has to apply for a license and follow the rules.
This is the perfect spot for anyone who wants to spend time with a deer in their natural habitat.
Humans don’t need to worry about predators or hunters while they enjoy nature and the deer.
Moments like this are a rare gift.
Would you come here?
It would be worth it just to have a shot at experiencing a moment like the one this man is having.
A genuine and mutual connection with wildlife is one thing that can’t be bought, only given.
See how this doe feels out a stranger in the forest before letting him feed her babies in the video below!
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