My Encounters with this Deer Sent Me on an Emotional Rollercoaster
It also underscored how critical compassion is.
Warning: this article contains a graphic image that may upset more sensitive viewers
Traipsing through woods last fall, I nearly stumbled across a young mule deer settled in a dense thicket. I crouched down to admire him and show I was not a threat while contemplating how to get around this ungulate obstacle. Backtracking was an undesirable option; the light was quickly fading, and the fastest way home was forward. He, in turn, kept his eyes peeled on me, perhaps calculating whether making the effort to escape was worth it.
The stalemate lasted about fifteen minutes, and as you can tell from the title image, it was hard to avert from his gaze.
Eventually, I needed to press on. When he briefly turned his head, I gingerly stood up. This immediately caused him to jump. I took a step forward, and he started to move away. That is when I noticed with dismay his left hind leg was a bloody mess. Fur had been stripped from the top of the left haunch to the tarsal gland and loosely flapped around. My initial delight at having a serendipitous wildlife encounter turned into overwhelming sadness.
