# Holy shit! Don't mess with deer with newborn fawns **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 16, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414 "2010-06-16T12:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/21 "2010-06-16T23:13:51Z")
Sorry but it’s kind of funny. The cat screws with the deer, and the dog pays the price. Hopefully he wasn’t hurt too bad though. ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/22 "2010-06-17T00:42:53Z")
I really cringed at the sound of the breathless whine the dog gave out as it was getting the hell kicked out of it. Imagine some one poking you with a strength of a full blown kick with a sharpened legs of a table. That deer is heavier than the dog and it was jumping/ standing on him at one point. Now get a girl to jump on your gut with stilleto highheels. > [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Sorry but it’s kind of funny. The cat screws with the deer, and the dog pays the price. > > Hopefully he wasn’t hurt too bad though. I saw that the mom was just shooing the cat. Once she saw the dog (like another poster mentioned) the ‘attack wolf’ instinct kicked in. After she went back to her fawn, she would have stomped at the cat but the cat was quicker in her escape. I would have also jumped the gun to say dumbass owner, but she might as well have been walking her dog without realising the corner she walks her dog everyday happen to have that mama-deer there. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/23 "2010-06-17T01:38:21Z")
Just as a response to the thread title: **Don’t mess with _any_ wild animal, regardless of its size, sex, or whether it has children.** Yes, there probably are some animals which are fine, but as a general position in life it’s the one that’s going to keep you from getting hurt or maimed. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/24 "2010-06-17T01:39:56Z")
Cranbrook is in a natural mountainous area; people are warned to leave the deer and elk alone all the time, because they’re wild animals and unpredictable. That also applies to keeping their pets away from the wild animals. I don’t want to see anyone’s dog or cat getting hurt, but this was entirely the pet owner’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/25 "2010-06-17T15:24:53Z")
> [@Capcha](#): > > I saw that the mom was just shooing the cat. Once she saw the dog (like another poster mentioned) the ‘attack wolf’ instinct kicked in. After she went back to her fawn, she would have stomped at the cat but the cat was quicker in her escape. It mostly looked like mutual wary curiosity. The cat looked totally in love with the baby, and was very curious. Mamma didn’t look overly concerned with the cat, until the cat got nervous and gave her a mittful of spikey paw to the nose. But the dog took a pounding that would be comparable to getting beaten with a baseball bat. ETA: The submitter updated the comments to say the dog was limping but as far as they know has heard it is okay. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/26 "2010-06-17T15:33:52Z")
I don’t get why the deer went after the dog when the cat was the one staring and playing and interfering. And why the cat was dumb enough not to get lost after it saw the dog get a pounding. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/27 "2010-06-17T15:38:47Z")
I’m saying! Poor little dog got its ass kicked because its owner didn’t see fit to keep it in the yard, or on a lease, meanwhile the cat, who was being a total asshole, got away relatively unscathed. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/28 "2010-06-17T15:40:03Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I don’t get why the deer went after the dog when the cat was the one staring and playing and interfering. And why the cat was dumb enough not to get lost after it saw the dog get a pounding. Tiny cats look like pests. Big dogs look like hungry wolves/coyotes, and this one was probably interpreted by the mother as sneaking up from behind to attempt an ambush. I’m sure the dog’s presence hit every instinctive “must protect my baby from predators” circuit in that doe’s brain, judging by how quickly she hauled off on that dog. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/29 "2010-06-17T15:40:16Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I don’t get why the deer went after the dog when the cat was the one staring and playing and interfering. And why the cat was dumb enough not to get lost after it saw the dog get a pounding. The deer never saw the cat as a threat, but saw a dog wandering by. The submitter said there were other people nearby and all of them were just adding more stress to Mamma, just by congregating on the lawn. The dog just wandered close enough for the deer to think it was a legitimate threat. The footage of the dog being rescued by its owner and friends was cut because the submitter is protecting their privacy. The person who filmed it is not the dog’s owner, they were all standing off to the side, I guess. The cat apparently has “been hanging out with deer for a long time”. The fawn was a first for the cat. So the cat didn’t fear the larger animal. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/30 "2010-06-17T15:44:07Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > The cat apparently has “been hanging out with deer for a long time”. The fawn was a first for the cat. So the cat didn’t fear the larger animal. That sounds so reality TV. “Cat and deer have been friends for a long time. Deer apologized to cat at reunion show. Deer and cat are moving forward with their friendship.” Actually I’d so watch a deer, cat and dog reality show. I mean that fight was less scary than anything Tyra Banks has ever done, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/31 "2010-06-18T01:35:36Z")
If the location is British Columbia, and if [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule_deer) is right, that is a Mule Deer, not a White-tail. The location and the black tip on the doe’s tail seem to indicate a Mulie. That poor dog really got beat up! ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/32 "2010-06-18T03:49:50Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Tiny cats look like pests. Big dogs look like hungry wolves/coyotes, and this one was probably interpreted by the mother as sneaking up from behind to attempt an ambush. I’m sure the dog’s presence hit every instinctive “must protect my baby from predators” circuit in that doe’s brain, judging by how quickly she hauled off on that dog. So that doe was the deer world equivalent of moms assuming any lone middle aged guy who so much a looks in their kid’s direction is a pedophile. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/33 "2010-06-18T04:05:23Z")
The attack on the dog was brutal. I’m surprised but glad to hear it had no severe injuries. **Cheez\_Whia** : I thought her ears looked bigger than the relatively tame deer you can see here in the outlying Forest Preserves of Chicago. I’ve had deer approach me just for crumpling a plastic bag that I picked up to throw away later; they obviously thought it was food packaging. On one occasion one came well within arms reach. And I’ve seen someone scattering feed out of a feed bag, when one doe walked right up to the person and stuck her head in the bag, allowing the person to stroke her neck! Twice I’ve seen a fawn nestling with her mother off the trails, and I knew damn well I should keep my distance. But after seeing that video, I think I’ll give them all a wide berth. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/34 "2010-06-18T04:33:25Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I don’t get why the deer went after the dog when the cat was the one staring and playing and interfering. Actually I think Mom was taking her cues from the fawn. Right before she turns around and runs at the dog (and I’m pretty sure she hadn’t even seen the dog yet), baby drops flat to the ground. Which is what fawns do when they feel threatened – they try to hide in the grass. Mom sees that baby’s scared, looks around for the threat, goes after the dog. I noticed that the fawn wasn’t splayed flat trying to hide from the cat in the beginning – its head was up – so no one was feeling particularly threatened by it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/35 "2010-06-18T04:35:41Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I’ve had deer approach me just for crumpling a plastic bag that I picked up to throw away later And you without your .30-30! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/36 "2010-06-18T04:46:50Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > I’m saying! Poor little dog got its ass kicked because its owner didn’t see fit to keep it in the yard, or on a lease, meanwhile the cat, who was being a total asshole, got away relatively unscathed. I see it differently. the dog was in it’s neighborhood. That could easily have been a child. Bamby’s mom should have been invited to dinner along with some carrots and potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/37 "2010-06-18T05:09:38Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > Actually I think Mom was taking her cues from the fawn. Right before she turns around and runs at the dog (and I’m pretty sure she hadn’t even seen the dog yet), baby drops flat to the ground. Which is what fawns do when they feel threatened – they try to hide in the grass. Mom sees that baby’s scared, looks around for the threat, goes after the dog. > > I noticed that the fawn wasn’t splayed flat trying to hide from the cat in the beginning – its head was up – so no one was feeling particularly threatened by it. I was wondering about the fawn dropping. I was thinking–did it trip or something? It makes sense that it got scared and then the mom decided to take out the “bad guy.” ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/38 "2010-06-18T05:25:09Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Sorry but it’s kind of funny. The cat screws with the deer, and the dog pays the price. > > Hopefully he wasn’t hurt too bad though. The cat set the dog up. Heh, heh, heh. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/39 "2010-06-18T05:35:40Z")
I used to get freaked out by the deer where I lived on the Monterey Peninsula in California. The deer come right down into the neighborhoods at night. Cute, right? They’re usually so shy and timid, I was working as a bartender at the time and would walk home late at night and suddenly find myself in the same block as two male deer fighting. All of the sudden they weren’t so shy and timid. They were big, and mean, and fast and I started looking for which fence I was going to hop over or parked car I was going to dive under. To the OP, that is one brave cat. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414/40 "2010-06-18T05:59:31Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I was working as a bartender at the time and would walk home late at night and suddenly find myself in the same block as two male deer fighting. All of the sudden they weren’t so shy and timid. They were big, and mean, and fast and I started looking for which fence I was going to hop over or parked car I was going to dive under. Car. Most definitely. You wouldn’t believe the kind of fences they can clear. While you are busy scrambling over, they will have leapt over easily and be patiently waiting to maul you on the other side. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-shit-dont-mess-with-deer-with-newborn-fawns/543414.md?page=3)