A testosterone-fueled buck gored a man in Georgia as he tried to scare off the hand-reared animal with a broom. The man, from Newton County, spent eight hours in the ER after the attack, requiring stitches to his forearm.
Footage shared by the Wildlife Resources Division - Georgia DNR shows the moment the young buck charged the man and pushed him to the ground.
There are an estimated 1.27 million deer living in Georgia, but this does not include those living in urban and suburban areas. These deer move into residential areas because they provide a safe habitat and food. However, their presence can pose a risk to humans and deer.
In some cases, predators follow the deer into urban areas, bringing animals like coyotes and bears in close contact with people.
In other cases, such as in Newton County, people start treating deer, which are wild animals, as pets. As a result, they lose their natural fear of people, and attacks can occur.
Deer often leave their young alone for long stretches of time as they go off to feed. People often mistakenly think fawns have been abandoned and take them away, and sometimes keep them as pets. This is illegal in Georgia.
In the latest footage from Georgia DNR, the man with the broom was not aware that the young buck had been hand reared. The deer had come into a resident's garden and had been attacking their patio grill.
The man had gone outside to try to help scare it away from the property. Had the buck not been hand reared, it would have fled the property as soon as the resident had gone outside.
However, the buck did not leave. Instead it charged the man and gored him. Georgia DNR said the man had no intention of hurting the deer with the broom.
"While this buck had shown no prior aggression, he was a recognized guest among area residents," the division wrote in a Facebook post. "As a growing fawn, the act of feeding and interacting with this deer seemed harmless. However, as the buck matured, the testosterone kicked in.
"As testosterone levels rise, antlers mineralize and harden and bucks increase their sparring frequency and intensity to establish dominance and breeding rights. In the wild, deer ensure their distance from humans. Once that fear of people has dissipated, however, an aggressive, testosterone-filled buck can become extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, we see situations such as this occur every year."
Georgia DNR said anyone who sees a tame or pet deer should contact them on a ranger hotline.
"While you may hesitate to call due to the potential for the animal to be euthanized, please know that you are doing the right thing. It reduces the risk of human injury, improper care and treatment of the animal, and disease transmission."
Newsweek has contacted Georgia DNR for comment.
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