RIP Nipper

It's with a broken heart and tears in my eyes that make seeing difficult that I unwillingly say good bye to my ND buck, Nipper. Nipper had an accident yesterday that cost him his life and cost me the loss of a very cheerful fellow who didn't have a mean bone in his body. I GREATLY enjoyed him and had expected to have him for a long life, not a mere 2 years.

I took the above pic a couple weeks ago. He was sharing some hay with Claire (Alpine doe) and standing like that to eat off the ground! Those are some wicked scurs but he NEVER uses them on anyone except another young buck and yet never in a mean manner. He was disbudded 3x and still had scurs.

This was from this last Fall after spending some quality time with a few of the does. He was worn out and looked like he was ready for a cigarette, after the deed was done, out back behind the barn!

This was from early Winter. He was jumping a gate and going out to browse with Summer at her round bale, hay buffet.

It's time to go do some chores and it's not going to be easy. I hope my tears don't freeze to my cheeks and freeze my tear-filled eyes. Loss is never easy, but this will be one of the harder ones. He was my chore-time buddy and cheerful, entertaining barn assistant.