Bruce Morris

Bruce Morris is a technical writer, literary historian, educator, long-time rock climber, and author of the Rock Climber’s Guide to Skyline Boulevard (2000) and the Bouldering Guide to the Castle Rock Area (2002), both available at Northern California REI stores.

The Deer Next Door

April 1, 2005 •  by

It certainly seems that we’re seeing more deer all over our neighborhoods. But how can these large mammals make a living among all the cars and houses? Writer Bruce Morris took the time to observe the deer in his suburban Belmont backyard. What he learned may surprise you: These deer weren’t just “making do”; they were thriving. With surprisingly small home ranges, suburbanized deer are redefining our built landscapes to fit their needs—an orchard becomes a fawning zone, an abandoned garden a nursery, a wooded lot a feeding area.

Peaceful Coexistence with Deer

April 1, 2005 •  by

The first time I began to pay closer attention to the small band of Columbian blacktail deer that coexist—more or less peacefully—with my neighborhood’s human residents was during the summer of 1997 while working outside on my house in Belmont … Read more