Touching the wild on PBS

[roadhunter]

Anybody catch this program last night on PBS? Interesting story about a guy from Colorado who hung out with mule deer so much that they accepted him in the herd.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/touching-the-wild/touching-the-wild/8679/
Joe Hutto’s idea of research is anything but normal, dedicating seven years of his life to becoming a wild mule deer. The herd would ordinarily run from any human but, incredibly, these keenly intelligent animals come to regard this stranger as one of their own. Accepted by the matriarch, he walks among them, is even groomed by them, and can lie with a pregnant doe talking to its unborn fawns. As he crosses the species divide Joe is tapping into a new understanding about these elusive animals, literally entering a deer society. The captivating joy he feels for his new family is nothing short of infectious, but this human predator also learns to see the world from the point of view of prey – and it’s an experience that will ultimately rock him to his very core; sharing their world so personally finally takes a toll that sends him back to his own kind. (Video streaming restricted to U.S. and Territories.)

 

[MThuntr]

I watched his show "My Life as a Turkey" I found it quite entertaining. I didn't see the mule deer video. I'm always concerned with animals being conditioned to humans...for the safety of both species. I'd like to stream it when it is available.

 

[nuevo_eph]

It was interesting and very beautiful.

I enjoyed his acceptance into the herd until he started feeding the orphaned mule deer. That's going a bit too far, in my opinion, as it will likely change how that deer lives its life.

He specifically mentions how only HE is accepted into the herd and that the deer were still fearful of anyone else. Yet there were obviously cameramen involved in this filming that the deer were comfortable around. That led me to believe his relationship has started the deer onto a path like the tame ones in various national parks.

That said, the ending must have been brutal with the hunters connecting yet he handled it like a man. Hopefully no one considers that a spoiler since the description refers to this.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Wait until he tries that with the big bears like Treadwell did and gets eaten alive!

 

[Carrion Carrier]

The whole thing is available at the link above. Excellent!

 

[kenton]

I did catch the show and was pretty impressed. Not that he became so attached to the deer or anything but he said he used to hunt and didn't have a problem with others doing it. This struck me as a very grounded mindset. He really didn't seem to be preaching, just showing why he does what he does. With all that said, I have to believe it is entirely his doing that the buck was shot at the end. You can't teach deer that some people who approach are good and some are bad. He did handle it surprisingly well though.

 

[Zach]

I just finished watching this video during lunch. Don't agree with his evolutionary theology.

Must have pained him to help load his buddy in the truck.