Tues 29 Nov 2005

Two young women had a run-in with a deer — but not the vehicular kind we usually hear about in these parts. My nieces Cara, age 20, and her sister Danielle, 14, were walking on the gravel road near their parents’ farm when they came upon a buck deer. It attempted to leave the area by crossing over an elk enclosure alongside, but after snagging its horns in the high fence, the deer fell backwards into the ditch before trying again.

Following its third failed attempt the deer stumbled and went down, and the two large dogs accompanying the girls attacked it. Cara ran forward to chase them off. The buck then leapt up from the ground and charged directly at her. The five-foot-two Wonder Woman responded by grabbing the animal's three-point antlers and flipping it onto its back.

The deer lay still, feet in the air and head oddly tucked under its shoulder, appearing to have a broken neck. When the girls’ uncle arrived a moment later and took hold of its front leg, the deer jumped up and made a hasty exit from the scene.

For several days Cara was left with a small bruise under her rib cage, where one of the deer’s antlers had made contact. Fortunately this freak encounter did not have the serious consequences it might have. I think Cara should probably buy lottery tickets regularly.