Finding Bambi

Into the shady reaches

We had several interesting encounters on the Osha Trail this morning.  Not long after we saw a group of kids doing martial arts in a meadow along the trail they caught up to us.  They were an incredibly friendly bunch of young people, and their leader (the martial arts instructor bringing up the rear) asked if "his campers" had said hello to us.  When I told him they were very respectful he seemed pleased.  The reason they caught up to us was because we stopped to look at a fawn Becca had sniffed out at the side of the trail.  It was breathing, and watching us with doe eyes, but it didn't move.  I immediately felt incredibly worried for it, though we couldn't tell if it was injured or just lying very still.  After the campers had passed we went back to have another look at Bambi, though we realized we probably couldn't do much for her if she was injured.  While we were watching her an old-timer hiker and his dog passed by.  I pointed out the baby deer to him, and remarked how interesting it was that all of the young campers had walked right by the deer without noticing her.  He seemed pretty certain that the fawn's mama had left her there and would return later to get her.  He had seen the phenomenon often enough to sound pretty certain of this fact.  All Dr. K and I could do was hope he knew what he was talking about.

Mountain Rose bush

A group of camper kids learning martial arts in a meadow

Not far from here Becca picks up Bambi's scent

This fawn was hiding just off the Osha Trail when Becca found her