Santa’s lost helper?

Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

While he didn't have reins, sleigh bells or a bright glowing nose, a deer made quite a commotion when he showed up unannounced in a quiet neighborhood in downtown Monticello for a friendly visit with the locals. On Madison Street, neighbors were alerted to the appearance of a young buck, who made himself very comfortable indeed exploring yards, sampling flowerbeds and perusing the street, seemingly unalarmed as people began to emerge from their homes to get a better look.
The deer, seemingly content to nibble on some planted ferns beside neighbor Merry Ann Frisby's driveway, was reportedly very friendly, and was unconcerned with the ever-growing presence of curious onlookers. “He didn't seem to be injured or sick at all,” says Frisby, who mentioned that local police were called to the scene to provide assistance during the uncertain situation. “This was his second sighting. He had first been seen about a week before. He was very friendly. When the police showed up, he walked right up to them in their uniforms and everything. We have photos of the deer licking the officer's hand!”
The young buck seemed to be someone's pet, acting more like a goat than a wild animal. “He didn't cause any damage to anything,” stated Frisby, “He did chew up my ferns, and enjoyed an apple from the kids. He was playful, dancing around and acting silly. He had to belong to somebody. He didn't seem afraid of us at all.”
Aware of the risk involved all around, for both people and animals alike, it was determined that, as delightful as it was to be able to see this graceful, playful animal up close, a neighborhood was not the safest place for him. Local resident Amy Paul brought in her horse trailer, and several members of the community made efforts to load up the animal for transportation to a safer location that would be more suitable for him. The deer, however, strongly disagreed, refusing to be loaded. He eventually fled from the scene.
Another neighbor, Bruce Snyder, mentions seeing the deer in his yard as well. “He was right on the end of my driveway,” Snyder stated, “He looked like he was heading back to the woods.”
Local community member Tommy Surles, who has raised deer in the past, recommends being careful about how to interact with deer, even if they are a pet, as this buck seemed to be. “Even if he is very friendly, and lets you pet him, if he finds himself in an awkward position, he might go berserk,” says Surles, “Suppose you can get close enough where you could put a rope around his neck, as soon as he feels that rope tighten, he could turn and try to escape, and that can be very dangerous. You could get injured, or he is very likely to hurt himself.” Surles suggested that a gentle coaxing into a pen or something similar so that he might be then loaded into a trailer for transportation might be safer. The safest way to have him captured would be for a professional to tranquilize him with a dart and then move him to an appropriate location while he is unconscious.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, an adult male white-tailed deer in Florida can weigh approximately 125 pounds and stand around 36 inches tall in the shoulder. While this buck seemed to be young and a little on the smaller side, an animal of this size can be dangerous in the right circumstance. Attacks of humans are extremely rare, but deer can act aggressively when they feel threatened or cornered and these graceful herbivores can pack a powerful punch when under duress.
This young buck has quickly become a bit of a celebrity, and he may be identified by his friendly demeanor and the presence of a blue rope that may still be tangled in his antlers from attempts to load him up in the trailer. Neighbors in the area are concerned for his continued wellbeing, hoping for not only his safety but the safety of everyone in the community. In the weeks following his first few sightings, this beautiful animal has made himself scarce, and one might imagine he has a little holiday agenda of his own to tend to.