Tag Archives: Cromwell Road

The Deer Of Acadia (Mount Desert Island) — February, 2023.

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by Anura Guruge
on February 24, 2023

Click images to ENLARGE.

Click to image for post from exactly a year ago.

I saw a lot of dear in & around Acadia last February (in what now appears to be my annual trip to Acadia in the 3rd week of February).

I saw 10 deer this year. I saw the same three, at the same place, late Monday afternoon & then Tuesday morning. This was on ‘Ocean Drive‘ just as you enter the ‘Otter Cliff’/’Otter Point‘ peninsula. That section is closed during the winter. This family of deer (as shown in the first three pictures above), which appear to be very tame (& was totally unfazed by my near proximity) seem to have worked out that they were safe from vehicular traffic along that stretch. I have heard that deer can be very smart.

I didn’t see as many deer as last year, but in a way I was also trying, somewhat, to avoid the areas that they were likely to be most numerous — especially around dusk. Even with that I had a narrow escape. Yes, having seen two deer-related accidents (one last year) I am leery. I would rather not hit one.

As I said last year, I have seen deer on most of my 17 (or 18 (or more) visits to Acadia over the last 10 years). I even know the best spots to spot one, e.g., golf course on ‘Cromwell Harbor Road‘ or the field before the ‘Seawall‘. But they seem to have become more numerous, more tame (i.e., braver) or both. I could, however, be wrong. It is possible that the population hasn’t changed that much over the years & it is just that I just happen to see more during my last two visits. Either way I wanted to share some of these pictures with you.

The accident I saw last year which did severely damage a car driven by a ‘poor’ lady who was most distraught.

The Deer Of Acadia (Mount Desert Island), Last Week.

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by Anura Guruge
on February 22, 2022

Click images to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE. Collage of just SOME of my shots (meaning photos).

I have seen deer on most of my 16 (or 17 (or more) visits to Acadia over the last 9 years). I even know the best spots to spot one, e.g., golf course on ‘Cromwell Harbor Road‘. I have, however, never seen as many as I did last week when I was up there Wednesday to Friday. They were literally coming out of the woodwork.

I saw the first two on Route 3 just before the ‘Hulls Cove Visitor Center‘ turn-off. It was 1pm — but a bit murky. I suddenly saw something white flash across the road about 150 yards ahead. Then another. When I got closer I could see them on the side of the road. White-Tails. That is what I had seen.

From that point onwards I kept on seeing deer — all over the place. It was fun BUT I also appreciated the danger. On the 2nd day, i.e., Thursday, coming back to Bar Harbor from Bernard I saw this sad sight. It had just happened. A lady driving south on 102 had hit it. Two cars, going south, flashed me. I was then there. I was heading north. The deer was on the side of the road — my side. There was plastic debris all over the road. I turned around and went to check on the lady. She was shaken but OK. She had called her husband. I cleared as much of the debris off the road. She wanted me to check if the deer was dead. It was. I gave her, i.e., the lady, some chocolates from my ever present cache. She called me an angel! Do they have brown angels?

Alas, this was NOT the first deer hit I had seen in this area — on THIS ROAD. A few years ago, around 7pm, going to dinner at Southwest Harbor the car in front of us hit one. That was not pretty either. I always appreciate that I could also hit one … given the amount of driving I do in rural Maine.