An alert New Jersey resident whose cell phone camera takes video captured the unusual sight of a person being chased by a deer on a New Jersey street, near the campus of Rutgers University.
In the video, a woman is seen running down College Avenue on the Rutgers New Brunswick campus, with what appears to be a deer.
Morgan Lazarus said he heard screaming while walking down Senior Street heading towards College Avenue so he started filming the incident with a cell phone.
“To my surprise, I saw someone running, and a baby deer was chasing after them. I then instantly took out my phone,” Lazarus told PIX11. “Immediately after, I ran over to make sure she was okay, but it continued to chase her all the way down the street past my point of view.”
The person being chased in the video is unknown, and no witnesses have been found to explain why the deer was chasing the individual.
Wildlife expert Craig Stowers wrote that the incident, “is a great example of something I tell people all the time: Deer don’t make very good neighbors.”
“In addition to generally being a nuisance by eating, trampling and defecating on landscaping and gardens, deer can also be dangerous to human beings and other domestic animals, particularly dogs,” said Stowers, who says wild animals should be given a wide berth, because “even younger, smaller deer are very strong and unpredictable and should never be approached in any way.”
“There are a couple times a year when there is an increased potential for a negative—especially for the human—encounter with a deer,” said Stowers.
“The first is around late March to early June, when does have fawns in hiding or just at heel. The does are particularly protective of the fawns during this time period, so do not approach any fawns or allow your dogs to do so,” said Stowers. “If a fawn is seen without a doe, please, do not assume the fawn is orphaned and needs rescue. The doe is undoubtedly in the area, most likely feeding or just waiting for you to leave the area so she can check back in on her fawn.”
“The second time to be aware of is around mid-November to mid-January when bucks are in the rut,” said Stowers. “During this time of year bucks are continually on the move, fighting other bucks and looking for does to breed. They don’t even take time to eat during rutting season–the urge to reproduce is overwhelming and not to be interfered with.”
“Like all wildlife, deer are best observed at a distance,” said Stowers. “Don’t feed them or try to interfere with their behaviors in any way.”
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