Ricardo Harvin<p><span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.art/@angeliquesophia" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>angeliquesophia</span></a></span> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/Hiking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Hiking</span></a> in <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/RockCreekPark" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>RockCreekPark</span></a> in <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/DC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>DC</span></a> I got startled by a small group of <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/does" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>does</span></a> and <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/fawns" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>fawns</span></a> casually <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/grazing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>grazing</span></a> less than 20 feet from the <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/trail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>trail</span></a>. I watched for a few minutes, then quietly moved on.</p><p>About a year later, a full <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/herd" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>herd</span></a> with <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/buck" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>buck</span></a> appeared on the <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/soccer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>soccer</span></a> area at <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/CarterBarron" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CarterBarron</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/park" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>park</span></a> as we were on the track about 100 feet away.</p><p>The buck turned straight on, spread its front legs, and lowered its head to present its antlers.</p><p>Message received; I moved on 😂</p><p><a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/City" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>City</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/Wildlife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Wildlife</span></a></p>