My First Deer Friend

During WWII my family moved to a farm in Southeastern Idaho. We had a farm bordering the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, near the Chesterfield Reservoir, Chesterfield, Idaho, which feeds the Portneuf River.
When I was a youngster, I was out in the field where my father was doing the spring plowing. I was sitting in our Jeep at the time, when my father came on around the field on the Caterpillar D6 tractor. His loud whistle startled me, he got off the tractor and started toward me, and I went to meet him. I thought he had a duck in his arms. It turned out to be a very small weak fawn. He went on to plowing and I to cuddling my new friend. As father came back on around the field, he whistled at me again. I met him as he brought me another little fawn. They were so very small and cute. I just loved them. I fed them on our cows milk. We learned that the Indians on the Reservation which bordered our farm had shot a wet doe, for food, which had left our baby deer without a mother. I raised those dear deer until they were full grown, and penned them up during deer season to protect them. But then after season some unkind man came and picked up my fine friend after season one year. I was so sad to loose such dear deer friends. We used to run out through the fields together. I was surely entertained by my animal friends. I had a mare and colt in the pasture next to the farm house. I also had a fine dog we called Brownie. He was brown and black with brown eyebrows. He was very smart, and when it was time to milk the cows, I would say "Brownie, go get the cows." He would head out over the hilly fields and bring the cows to me for milking. I remember when the dog, the colt and the deer would play tag. The dog would chase the colt, and nip at its hind feet. The colt would then take after the deer and nudge it on its rump. Then the deer would run after the dog, raise up on its rear legs and tap the dog on the back. They would run all around the pasture playing like this for near a half hour at a time. It was such a joy to watch them play. I do love the animals. Who ever calls animals dumb, have not had the experiences I have with animals. I have witnessed animals, apparently reading my mind (that is another true story). They have great intelligence, if we would just learn to communicate as well.

GC Jones

There is much to see and enjoy in Southeastern Idaho.



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