When Running Becomes Dangerous!

Deer destroying the Iowa City
Neighborhoods!

"GET OFF MY LAWN!"

There are estimated over 30,000 deer in the Iowa City area.   30,000!  That is a lot, for those from out of town.   And I did not believe it at first, but I now have heard that number from several different sources.  Not to mention anecdotally.  People say the deer eat their garden vegetables,  their flower gardens, and worst of all....  Their lawn!  Everyone should know that in Iowa,  Mowing one's lawn is  a time honored tradition passed down through the generations.  Having some wild, untamed foraging animal trim your lawn without permission is Blasphemy!   Something had to be done!

The "Frugal" option for deer
control. 

And so the local government has stepped in.  Rather than open up city parks to a select few Licensed, Gun-Toting,  Hillbilly, Sportsmen who would probably have paid for the privilege...  The city does something more expensive.Send  in the  "Professional  Hunters",  funded by the Taxpayer, to kill the deer and donate the meat to the food pantry.   (Or so they say...)   Big Government to the Rescue!

Cheryl rebels!

So how does this relate to us?  Well,  the park has warmed residence that  "GUNS" are in use in our running section.    Guns!   Big Bad Guns!  Where is my safe space?

Runs with antlers AND pink Shorts!

Being of a natural and cultivated rebellious nature,  (Because... America!)   Cheryl has decided to thumb her nose at the warnings and run anyway....  With ANTLERS ON! 

A little over the top. 

Actually,  it's her Blue Ox hat from Bemidji....  So technically,  they are horns.   And besides,  With the professional hunters out there specifically trying to control the overall population,  they should be targeting the Does..rather than the Bucks.

For safety... run with antlers.

 So it might actually be more dangerous NOT to run with antlers on your head.   Everyone who runs the Terry Trueblood should get that memo.

Now that is just Extreme!

Deer in the background. 

Cheryl sees her!

As we ran today,  We did see at least one deer near the lake.  And there are lots of Buck rubs all around the river.    But so far,  no hunters,   No blaze orange,  No gunfire.    So it does not seem as dangerous as one might imagine.

Where are the Hunters when you
need them?

Other than that,   25 stockings today... out of 35!   We are saving the remaining 10 for

A victorious survival run!  Yeah! 

tomorrow...  spending our time trying to catch up the custom requests.  Next year... we simply will have to raise our prices.  For the time and to slow down the sales.  Or find something that pays even more and requires less work... and is year round.    And allows our artistic expression to shine through!   Yeah... wouldn't that be awesome.