A 67-year-old woman in Silver Cliff, Colorado, was hospitalized with bruising and a puncture wound after being gored by a mule-deer buck this weekend.
Deer are in the middle of their mating season, making them more territorial and aggressive.
The victim, unnamed by officials, went out her front door Saturday evening and was attacked by the small buck, leaving her with black-and-blue bruising on her right leg and a puncture wound on her left leg, Colorado Parks and Wildlife explained in a release.
Shortly after the attack and after the woman got back inside to call her husband for help, the attacking deer was seen sparring with another deer on the woman’s lawn. These spars are common during deer mating season.
The woman went to a hospital in Pueblo, about 55 miles west of Silver Cliff, for treatment.
Officials also say the deer may have become acclimated to humans and human-provided food. The woman said she had thrown bread out to feed birds earlier in the day, in addition to having a stationary bird feeder in her yard.
“I believe this is a good example of what happens when deer lose their natural fear of humans. They become aggressive and dangerous. This is a good reminder that wild animals should always be treated as such … We’re glad this woman wasn’t more seriously injured,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Mike Brown said in a statement.
Feeding wildlife, for these reasons, remains illegal in Colorado. If the attacking deer is found, he will be euthanized, officials said.
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