was out in a local stand of evergreens -- replanted obviously, maybe 30 odd years ago? -- and was scouting out a possible tarp setup site. in truth i was a little starved for peace and quiet so i was taking my time. i could hear something approaching and since i was just off a game trail i thought i'd be still a while and let what was coming approach. it sounded like a deer, of which i see many, so i held my ground and stayed completely still.
slowly it approached but i must have been upwind because it was being very cautious and it knew that something wasn't right. when it finally came into view i could
swear it was a bit paler than the usual deer i see, a bit slighter of build and -- this is the difficult bit -- it had long, thin, dark horns pointing straight up, very antelope like.
if i was back in Canada this could have been one of a few species of mountain goat or suchlike but i've never heard of such a thing here in the UK. i have to admit that i'm having a bit of trouble with my eyesight these days so i may well have been mistaken on any of a number of the details so i have to ask: did i see what i thought i saw or were my eyes and/or the dappled sunlight playing tricks on me? is there any such species here?
fwiw the critter backed off and very tentatively took the long way around me. a few minutes later i did see a deer come in from the other direction -- he almost stepped into my little clearing -- and i had no difficulty identifying him so ... not sure and would very much like to know.
slowly it approached but i must have been upwind because it was being very cautious and it knew that something wasn't right. when it finally came into view i could
swear it was a bit paler than the usual deer i see, a bit slighter of build and -- this is the difficult bit -- it had long, thin, dark horns pointing straight up, very antelope like.
if i was back in Canada this could have been one of a few species of mountain goat or suchlike but i've never heard of such a thing here in the UK. i have to admit that i'm having a bit of trouble with my eyesight these days so i may well have been mistaken on any of a number of the details so i have to ask: did i see what i thought i saw or were my eyes and/or the dappled sunlight playing tricks on me? is there any such species here?
fwiw the critter backed off and very tentatively took the long way around me. a few minutes later i did see a deer come in from the other direction -- he almost stepped into my little clearing -- and i had no difficulty identifying him so ... not sure and would very much like to know.