There we were, the better half and I, comfortably nestled in our living room, immersed in our favorite TV show, when the driveway alarm suddenly blared. This was quite the surprise, as we weren’t expecting any guests tonight. Naturally, I sprang up and dashed to the back door, thinking perhaps someone was lost and had ended up in the parking lot behind our house by mistake.
To my surprise, I found nothing. I peered down the driveway, and there they were—two eyes staring back at me. A deer had decided to wander down our driveway, completely unfazed by the intrusion alarm. This was one of our many urban deer encounters.
This is when things went south.
I quickly went back inside to get the better half, eager to show her our unexpected visitor. We stood by the window, watching as the deer casually meandered over to our neighbor’s porch. To our amusement (and perhaps our neighbor’s dismay), the deer started devouring all their plants. We watched, helpless from our living room window, as the deer feasted on the greenery.
What really got us was when the deer paused, looked straight at us, and seemed to say, “What are you going to do about it?” before continuing its feast. After satisfying its plant cravings, it wandered around our house to the backyard. As if the plant buffet wasn’t enough, it decided to drink all the water in our bird bath before disappearing into the brush.
This isn’t our first urban deer encounter here. I always thought deer were supposed to be shy, elusive creatures. Not ours. They seem to have no qualms about making themselves at home, even right in the heart of downtown.
Living at 30 Elm Street in Potsdam, NY, we’ve come to expect the unexpected. Whether it’s the occasional fisher cat caught on our dash cam or a deer with a taste for urban flora, there’s never a dull moment. If you’re ever staying at our Airbnb and hear the driveway alarm, don’t be too quick to assume it’s a guest—it might just be our resident deer dropping by for a late-night snack.
The Joys of Urban Deer Encounters
Our house might be a historic Queen Anne Victorian built in 1836, but it’s also a haven for local wildlife. While we’re constantly improving the property for our guests, the deer seem to think we’re landscaping just for them. It’s all part of the charm of staying at 30 Elm. So next time you’re here, keep an eye out—you never know who might drop by for dinner.