Editor:
I haven’t seen deer in my backyard for at least a couple of years now. They used to be common. Others in Laguna are telling me the same story. I still see a few hoof prints on some trails but there are many trails, for example in Rimrock Canyon, where the telltale signs are absent.
Why is this? I don’t think it is the drought. In previous years of drought, deer were more likely to be munching in my garden. I don’t think it is coyotes eating them. The city has been keeping the coyote population down of late. Another theory is that the ever increasing biking in Laguna’s open spaces has now permanently intruded on their space, denying them undisturbed places to bed down, and breed. Sounds plausible. Anyone got any other ideas?
Chris Reed, Laguna Beach
They are still around. But they have been wary, I had not seen or heard from them in months but in the last month or two they have been back to gardening in my yard. If you don’t want them just use garlic deterrents and they go away until the garlic scent fades. The recent news about the koala in Los Angeles should reawaken the fact that Puma still hunt in urban settings, where as the coyote would have been on the menu.