WOODLAND PARK, Colo. – A 77-year-old woman said she was taking her groceries from her car to her home when a deer followed her into her house, ate her food and attacked her.
The woman, who was not identified, said the mature doe entered the house through a door she had propped open and surprised her in Woodland Park, Colorado, on Tuesday KDVR reported.
She said the deer appeared to be comfortable, so much so that it helped itself to a snack as she tried to shoo it out of the house.
She tried throwing items at the deer’s hooves, but it would not leave, The Denver Post reported.
At one point the woman turned her back to the animal and it reared up, hitting the woman in the back with its feet.
She had multiple scratches, cuts and bruises from the deer on her body, but she was able to continue standing.
Eventually, she was able to shove the deer out of the door, but as she removed what she was using to prop the door open, the deer returned.
She then used a mop to push the deer out of the house and was able to close the door.
A wildlife officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife who had responded said the deer would likely come back because the woman believed her neighbors fed the deer, KDVR reported.
The officer was right. The deer, known by unique markings, showed up in the woman’s yard the next day.
A wildlife officer humanely euthanized the animal and the remains are being tested, as the incident remains under investigation.
It is illegal to feed deer in the state of Colorado.
“This is another dangerous example of what happens when people feed wildlife,” Cody Wigner told KDVR. “They become habituated to people, lose their fear and become aggressive and dangerous.”
Wigner is the CPW assistant area wildlife manager for the Pikes Peak region.
While illegal, the practice of feeding wildlife is not uncommon, as officials told KDVR that they’ve had more reports of wildlife coming in contact with humans as communities are expanding.
