I’ve avoided deer encounters ever since last fall when an overly protective doe attempted to stomp the life out of our beagle. He was standing next to our deck, and had wandered between the deer and her fawn when she attacked him. As I ran down our back stairs, I yelled at the doe just as I would yell at an attacking dog, but that didn’t even phase her. Luckily, Hunter the beagle is small, fast and loud, and we came to his defense quickly, throwing pebbles at the animal until she finally backed off.
A Florissant, CO woman wasn’t quite as lucky. On Monday, 63-year-old Joan Nutt was gored by a buck at the home of her sister on County Road 31 near Florissant. Nutt’s family was familiar with the deer, according to the Colorado Division of Widlife, and said it visited their property often. Nutt called the deer, attempting to pet it, but when it got close, it lowered its head and charged. A passerby helped scare off the buck, but Nutt received cuts and bruises on her hands, upper leg, stomach, hip, elbow and upper arm.
The deer was tranquilized and later euthanized, and its body was sent to a DOW wildlife health lab in Fort Collins.
DOW officials took the opportunity to remind people to remember that wildlife can always pose a threat to humans. If you encounter a deer, give it space. Don’t approach it, and (does this really have to be said?) never, ever pet it.
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