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Hanging out at the local Country Club during the winter may seem a bit unusual, but not if you are a white-tailed deer more than willing to make yourself at home.

Once again this winter, several deer have shown they regard the snow-covered Minot Country Club layout as a perfect wintering spot.

Why not? They don't pay dues and lounging underneath the Country Club's evergreen trees is a great way to pass the day without worrying about any interruption from pesky golfers. There's plenty of food nearby, too.

"We did quite a bit of tree removal here in the fall and winter and added to our burn pile. The deer have been feeding on that all winter," said Jon Hanson, Minot Country Club.

For a deer in winter, it just doesn't get any better than that. Proof can be found in the heavily used deer trails leading across the fairways at the Country Club and directly to the pile of fallen trees. Greens superintendent Bruce Ruppert estimates that 200 to 300 trees were removed from the course since the golf season came to a close last fall.

The exact number of deer on the course this winter is difficult to determine. Hanson says he can usually see 20 to 30 deer on the course. Ruppert thinks the total number of deer is much higher.

"I''d say there's been 75 to 100 on the golf course lately," said Ruppert. "They're chewing up some trees but I think we're pretty lucky. We'd probably have more damage if we didn't have that big leaf pile."

"They are pretty much all smaller deer, but they still create a mess. They leave quite a bit of droppings on the course, especially when we get heavy snow and it stays around," said Hanson. "As far as the trails, I don't think they'll be a problem. It maybe depends on how frozen the ground is. It hasn't caused too much damage in the past, as I recall."

According to Ruppert, damage from the trails could effect the course if the deer are still using them when the ground begins to thaw. The club has machines that will pick up deer droppings, so much of the evidence left behind by the winter visitors will be gone by the time golfers get back on the course. Occassionally the deer will do some damage to young trees on the course, but usually not enough to make their presence completely unwelcome.

"I don't see where they've been pawing down and chewing on grass," said Ruppert. "You can see that they've been chewing on evergreens by the No. 9 green and near 7. I don't think we'll have much of a problem once the river starts flowing."

Heavily used deer trails can be seen crossing the river that borders a portion of the Country Club. Ruppert reasons that open water will put a stop to the deer traveling to and from the course.

"It's kind of fun to watch them," admitted Hanson. "You've got something to look at out here at this time of year. In years past when the snow goes away, they go elsewhere. We had a little buck that dropped his antlers a couple of weeks ago and a bigger one that still hadn't shed as of this week."

As for Minot's Souris Valley Golf Course, very few deer have been seen on the layout this winter. Consequently, it is expected that no significant damage to that course has occurred.

"We haven't had them like we have had in the past," said Kim Knatterud, greens superintendent. "We're starting to see some tracks around now and saw about seven last week on the golf course."