That deer in the headlight look

Farm Credit of Central Florida, in conjunction with our district bank, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank of Columbia, South Carolina, recently sponsored the Keepin’ It Rural Video contest. It can best be described as a rural version of the popular TV show, America’s Funniest Home Videos, but with a rural slant.

The winners of $1,000 for third place were the Brozios, Farm Credit Members from Lakeland, Florida for their entry about Bucket, the deer. What follows is the story of Bucket and Hunter, his caretaker, and trials and tribulations that have happened in that relationship since the Brozios claimed their prize . . .

One year ago, a love affair between a Lakeland ranching family and a deer blossomed. The story would involve triumph, near tragedy, a forced separation, a costly and prolonged battle with government red tape, but end with a tearful and joyous reunion.

Eight year-old Hunter Brozio relishes his rural life on the Ennis Ranch in North Lakeland with his Mom, Debbie, Dad, Jeff, grandparents, as well as numerous pets and wildlife. When the weather permits, he eats his breakfast on the front porch so he can soak up the clean, fresh air and the breathtaking vista of 1,000 acres of vintage Florida ranchland. The ranch not only furnishes Hunter and his family a place to live and raise cattle, it also is a fertile habitat for a diversity of native Florida wildlife, including deer.

Approximately twelve months ago a thief clad in the innocent cuddly, fur of a baby deer stole the hearts of the Brozios as it nibbled on Debbie’s flowers. The baby fawn, sensing the goodness of Hunter and his family, began to come closer and closer each morning, eventually eating out of a bucket the youngster offered food in. “I started calling the deer “Bucket” because he liked to eat out of a bucket,” Hunter said. Pretty soon Bucket would come on the porch and share breakfast with Hunter and the love affair was in full bloom.

Any good love story requires the hero to experience and overcome hurdles. This one is no different. Last December, Bear, the family’s chocolate Labrador Retriever, took Bucket for a walk which took the adventurous and unlikely duo over 5 miles from the ranch. Hunter and Debbie panicked when they couldn’t find Bear or Bucket, but driven by Hunter’s distress over the absence of his pets, Debbie set out on a mission. “Hunter was just heartbroken, so I knew I had to do everything within my power to get his pets back,” she said.