Seeing deer in the west suburban Westchester is not a rare occurrence, but having one snacking on your doorstep is rare.
Ellen Alamilla was going through video footage on her doorbell camera when she came across a recording of a large buck with a tall stand having a late night meal in her garden at 2am on Wednesday.
“We live just a block from the forest preserve, and I walk the dog very early in the morning, so I often see deer in the neighborhood,” Alamilla said. “But I don’t know what made one come so close this time.”
Alamilla said her yard is full of native plants that smaller animals often eat, but she was surprised to see them attract such a large deer.
It appears to be a seven-point buck that was drawn to Alamilla’s tasty plantations.
“It hasn’t rained much so maybe it was looking for food,” Alamilla said. “Part of native gardening is you feed things that are native to this area and even though I’ve never seen a deer on my front porch, they’re native to this area.”
Alamilla has lived in Westchester for more than 10 years and says her home near LaGrange and Cermak roads gives her the perfect suburban escape.
“It’s the perfect blend of suburban living and the peace of the forest reserves,” Alamilla said.
Last week, several residents encountered one coyote roaming the streets in Park Ridge.
The young coyote suffered from a form of mange, a condition caused by burrowing, parasitic mites that results in intense itching that can cause hosts to shed their coats and lead to complications that can ultimately kill them.