Deer tracks in Toronto

[lew]

Toronto is criss crossed by a massive valley system that winds across town in all directions and it's really nice cause you can spend hours in some areas and never see a building or hear a car.

 

I was out walking with my dog this morning in an area close to home and came across the fresh tracks of 2 deer in the snow. I've heard of deer in the area before but have never seen any signs till today. This area is heavily populated and when I took these pics a city bus was passing behind me not 150' away.

 

 

 

 

Close-up of the larger track in the soft mud under the snow. This was right beside a stream where one of them stopped for a drink

 

 

 

 

Looks like they bedded down here for the night under a pine tree

 

 

 

 

Here's how close they were to some apartment buildings

 

 

 

 

Not really a big deal, but I just thought it interesting to see them so close to a very busy urban neighborhood.

 

 

I also came a cross this odd shaped tree

 

 

 

 

Anyways, that's how us retired folks spend our time once musky season has closed

Edited December 21, 2007 by lew

[mistyriver1]

Great stuff Lew.

 

When Corey and I came back from a little river fishing last weekend about 10 minutes from home, we saw a couple of deer in the field. We see them alot as we've got lots of farmland around us.

[Headhunter]

I have a ravine lot in Scarborough and have seen deer walking behind my house! Now, in oder to get to my house, they would have to cross Kingston Road and and the 401!

I also see fresh bunny tracks every morning all around my house. "I am Legend"?!LOL

HH

[Fang]

Nice tracks. Some of the biggest deer I have ever seen have been at Erindale Park on the Credit River. Was driving on 401 Thursday at lunch and a really big buck was standing on the edge of the Etobicoke Creek ravine at the airport.

 

If you could only bow hunt inside city limits!

[keram]

Couple months ago I was driving in north Oshawa ( just north of airport), when realy big buck crossed the road about 50 yards in front of my car . I've stopped and he stopped ( in the middle of the road) After about 15 sec looking at each other he slowly dissapeared in the woods on the other side of the road . I'm not a hunter, but comparing his size and overall image to pictures on the web, I'm pretty sure it was 10-pointer , and really big

[motv8tr]

Hey Lew, I thought you weren't retired anymore

 

There are deer near Jane and Eglinton as well. I remember when I was driving the Jane bus there was one hit .

 

Maureen

[addy79]

is that near dawes rd.?

looks familiar....

crescent town??

ive seen two in there about 3 years ago along the stream...

ive seen them in south east mississauga as well, strangely enough!

[Baptiste]

I've seen deer and just about everything else in the Beach area of Toronto.

While walking my dog in the "Quarry" at VP and Gerrard we stumbled upon a dead dear in long grass near the train tracks. My dog started to freak out and the deer jumped up and two others came outta nowhere headed for the tracks. My dog and I almost had heart attacks.

One morning I pulled into Ted Reeve Arena at 5:15 and 5 deer ran off to the same tracks.

[cityfisher]

ive seen tracks while on the go train in the don mills/englinton area... they are around ... just super stealthy !

Edited December 21, 2007 by cityfisher

[fishing n autograph]

had a deer jump out in front of me on warden ave just north of the 407....they'tr everywhere

[ecxstriper]

We have a lot of deer in my area and I live 10 miles from Manhattan ( I can see the New york Sky line from my street). Saw a deid Doe 2 blocks from my house , looks like she was hit by a car. If you drive 20 minutes north west you find coyotes and Black Bears . Pretty Cool

[Rizzo]

There were 4 deer in Park Lawn Cemetery (Prince Edward/Bloor) about 6 years ago. I've also seen them on Humber Valley golf course.

[krawler]

I live in a condo overlooking the humber river, south of bloor st and ive seen many deer this past fall. even saw a nice 6 point buck while river fishing the area about a month ago.

[Gerritt]

Kinda freaky driving the 407... only to see deer glaring at you.. and they are inside of the fences!... I have seen a few roadkill on the side of the road recently... I dont think the fences are keeping them from the hiway...

 

I also notice alot of waterfowl in the ponds that dot the ride into work.. I assume they are pretty comfortable hanging out there...

 

G

[Crazyhook]

Nice shots Lew!

[fishing n autograph]

Kinda freaky driving the 407... only to see deer glaring at you.. and they are inside of the fences!... I have seen a few roadkill on the side of the road recently... I dont think the fences are keeping them from the hiway...

 

I also notice alot of waterfowl in the ponds that dot the ride into work.. I assume they are pretty comfortable hanging out there...

 

G

 

Gerritt, white tails can easily jump the fences

[camillj]

Yep .. sure is good to know we still have some room left for the wildlife even in the city .. I get tracks here by Etobicoke creek too ... and today my girls were following a possom around for about half an hour !

Edited December 22, 2007 by camillj

[OhioFisherman]

Great pictures Lew. Cleveland is also surrounded by a park system, they call it the Emerald necklace, full of deer.

 

Rural were I am, had them in the neighbors garden Wednesday evening just before dark, probably 250 feet behind my house and the dogs know, they run to the patio door and bark. Some nice racks, a lot of running around this time of year, probably the worst for them running out on the road.

[turtle]

A few years ago I saw a doe while driving up the Don Valley Parkway. It was on the east side between the Bloor and Don Mills exits. There are lots of them in Scarborough around the zoo.

 

Also a few years ago I saw a coyote or coy-dog walking in daylight at the bottom of River st-also near the DVP. I think some of the newer development for example in Markham takes way their habitat and they move through the valley parks to new habitat.

[Beans]

Back in my Go Train commuting days from downtown Toronto to Richmond Hill I saw a couple of deer in the Don Valley...

 

Nowadays, All I have to do is look out my front window...

 

 

 

 

[lew]

Hey Norm, that's pretty nice seeing those deer right on your front lawn like that.

 

One of the joys of country living, eh !!!!

[fishindevil]

Yes they are sure everywhere,well right at the oshawa airport,its surrounded by the oshawa creek valley,nand heavy woods to the north,and the deer have been right on the runways for the planes, its been in the paper,and on the news several times about them,as well as the coyotes too,you can usually see them once every few weeks driving along tounton rd.. .we have also had a moose come down the creek valley almost to downtown oshawa ,he unded up staying on the golf course right near the hospital,so yes they do show up,and will adapt,they all know that where therte are people there is food....cheers everyone!!!!

[lew]

Yes they are sure everywhere:

 

In many areas now there are so many deer that their becoming a danger to cars.

 

Just last night I heard on the news where a car collided with a deer , went off the road and hit a tree and killed the passenger.

 

I think they said it was in the London area.

[fishing n autograph]

Hey Gerritt, you think the 407 is bad for deer, you should try I490 or I95 in NY state...all you see along the side of the interstate is the glowing eyes for deer lol...i've even seen cougars on the side of the road too!

[Beans]

Hey Norm, that's pretty nice seeing those deer right on your front lawn like that.

 

One of the joys of country living, eh !!!!

 

 

Deer, coons, foxes, even skunks I don't mind but...BEARS I don't want to see...

 

Saw evidence of their whereabouts a couple of times...once on my neighbors property where it was after the apples that had fallen from the trees and once on my property where it had knocked the heavy top section off my woooden garbage box and helped itself to a smorgasborg of "stuff"...then had a humoungas crap on my back driveway...I thought they went in the woods ???