Dear Frank:
The place where I kept all of my deer is small, 20 acres, I have 6 deer and 2 fawns in a smaller area, I brought Timber, Chabela, Figo and Sidane as orphan fawns from the bigger area where I kept almost 45 deer.
This deer were net captured 5 years ago from a 1600 acres of good natural habitat property that was sold to build factories, houses and schools. I took care of that property and its deer for more than 8 years, but it was surrounded by villages, paved roads and factories. The time came when someone made an offer of big money for the property, and the owner sold it. Many deer that live there would be killed or would escape to an faithful and unpredictable destiny. I net captured all the deer I could (37), and bought the 20 acres property in the top of a hill to keep them alive, that was my deer refuge start.
Some others, like (Gris or Gray) were rescued some years ago in a ranch, trapped and dying in a wire fence, when the owner called me. (Camila, Camille) was found with a big hole under her left arm due to a sharp stick that penetrated her side maybe while jumping, her wound was infected and she was almost dead.
A single deer in a natural range needs at least 12 to 15 acres of a fairly good habitat to have cover, thermal protection, sufficient food and space to avoid deer congregations and social stress due to dominance behavior from older does and bucks. I don't have that needed space now, but I am looking for a bigger and better located property where I can liberate deer in good habitat when ready. My deer needs to be feed with extra alfalfa hay and a special supplement feed that I designed myself and it is done in a modern animal food factory. This feed contains vitamins, protein and minerals that should fulfill the deer's daily nutritional requirements.
This barrels are used to feed deer also in wild ranges when extreme droughts or prolonged winters hits in their habitat and food is scarce. They work via gravity, and deer can eat from 3 small holes where supplement feed falls. I have seen hundreds of dead or agonizing deer during this terrible seasons, One way to safe part of the deer herds is helping them with extra food, this supplements are 100% safe and are done with the best ingredients and specifically designed for deer.
They won't contaminate deer, but help mothers to wean their fawns, and older bucks to recover weight after the terrible weeks of the rut and sustain the demanding antler growing next year. All this procedures takes part of a whole, that is called Q.D.M. quality deer management, where deer, and habitat are kept in harmony and balance, This technique has been developed by Biologist and deer Specialist people and pretend to control deer densities in the best way, bellow the habitat carrying capacity and try to avoid extreme habitat damage for exploding deer herds.
Deer management is complicated and complex and holds many different aspects where sometimes compassion and animal love could not been enough to solve a growing problem that would carry much more suffering to deer herds if a solution is not taken in time.
I look forward to see my deer photos, I am editing some scenes from my deer, and as soon as I have this small film completed, I will send it to you along with another deer picture.
Sincerely yours
Alejandro G. Cossio
Sierra Malichi: Living in Peace with Deer
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