The other day, while in Linda Mar, I spotted a young deer grazing by the highway. This isn't news to anyone who lives in Pacifica - we have deer here. It wasn't always the case. I moved to Pacifica as a toddler in 1954, and lived there until 1971, with nary a sighting of a deer. The wildest life I saw were the mice that invaded our home when the Fairmont District was being built.
Several years ago, my husband Mike & I were at April Schneider's yard sale, when we saw a young deer hanging around her front yard. April's husband called the critter "Little Man", and proceeded to throw an apple at the deer - who caught it deftly in his mouth! Not every yard sale features a trained deer.
Where there are deer come the predators. They are not as evident, though friends in Pacifica, Montara, and Moss Beach have sighted mountain lions. One had a mountain lion visit her yard a few times. Unnerving!
I don't know why the deer population has seemingly increased steadily in the past 30-40 years in Pacifica. However, since I grew up here, it is still a bit of a surprise when I see one casually grazing by the highway.
