Deer Facts: a quick study

I have concluded that deer are not only stupid but their memories are very poor.  Now I'll tell you why.

About a year or two ago I hit a deer not far from my house.  I was not going fast, and when it crossed the road I thought I could ease on by. It decided to dive into the right fender and knock itself out.  I wrote about it somewhere.

Since that time, I've encountered several deer between here and Mt Laguna.   Most of them have been in daylight, late afternoon.  So, it isn't like headlights in the dark.

They always do the same thing; cross the road into my lane, stop, stare. start to go back, stare, finish crossing the road, then run away as I go past.   It is as if they are taught this routine.  Probably in public deer school.

If you lived near enough to a road to feel like crossing it, chances are you've seen and heard cars.  One would think.  But to a deer it is like the first encounter every time.  Their memories are so bad that all the girl deer actually think they are virgins when they get married, so their unintentional lies have impact.  That part goes for all deer.  That buck can't remember where he's been so he thinks he's innocent.  They probably forget who their mate is, anyway, after an hour apart.

No, if they had a memory, they'd know that standing in the road staring at speeding steel is not a good idea.  Even the ones that witness a colleague being clocked by a Humvee probably forget all about it in thirty minutes.  Maybe sooner.

The lesson in this is that you can confess anything to a deer and your secret will remain safe.  Never seriously ask a deer to remind you to do anything.   None of that, "Hey will you remind me to take the hay out of the oven?"  If you don't remember it, and no one but deer are there, it won't get done.