A 67-year-old woman in Colorado was attacked by a mule deer buck outside her home on Saturday, according to officials from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The woman, whose identity has not been released, suffered a puncture wound to her left leg and significant bruising on her right leg.
The incident occurred in the town of Silver Cliff, where the woman had stepped outside her door and was immediately attacked by the small buck mule deer. The animal had two spikes on each antler and is now being sought by wildlife officers. If found, the buck will be euthanized.
After the attack, the woman was able to make it back inside her home and call her husband for help. She was then transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Pictures released by CPW show the woman with a large wound on her leg, along with extensive bruising. It is not clear what her current condition is.
According to officials, the buck’s aggressive behavior may have been caused by someone feeding it. In the woman’s yard, CPW officers found a bird feeder and the victim confirmed that she had thrown out bread earlier that day. This could have caused the buck to lose its natural fear of humans and become more aggressive towards people.
Mike Brown, CPW Area Wildlife Manager, warned against feeding wild animals and emphasized the importance of giving them their space. He stated, “This is a good reminder that wild animals should always be treated as such and that people need to give wildlife the space they need.”
The attack also occurred during mating season, which could have contributed to the deer’s aggressive behavior. After the attack, two young bucks were observed sparring in the woman’s yard. Officials are glad that the woman‘s injuries were not more serious and are using this incident as a cautionary tale against feeding and getting too close to wild animals.
