COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado Springs resident got a wild surprise on Tuesday when a mule deer buck crashed through their window and got trapped in the basement.
Colorado wildlife officials blame the rut – or mating season – for the buck's misadventure. Bucks sharpen their antlers on trees, chase does and spar with other bucks, which might have been what this buck had been up to.
It might have seen its reflection in the window and thought it was a rival buck, or it might have been in a fight and lost, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said. Either way, it crashed through the window and landed in a basement office, where it made a mess.
The CPW officer who responded to the scene darted the buck to sedate it, which caused the buck to try to flee. There wasn't anywhere for it to go, though, and it destroyed a vase of flowers with its antlers, CPW said.
After the buck calmed down, the CPW officer treated its cuts. Then he and a CPW biologist carried it outside for release.
In the video below, CPW Officer Travis Sauder massages the buck's chest to stimulate it as drugs took effect to reverse the tranquilizer, but the buck was still groggy after waking up.
The rut season for deer in Colorado enters its peak in late November and lasts through mid-December, according to CPW.
During the rut, bucks can become agitated by other animals or humans, so it's best to stay well away from them. Bucks also rub their antlers on objects to mark territory and can become tangled in hazards left around homes, such as holiday decorations.
CPW recommends that holiday lights and other decorations be placed higher than six feet or be attached tightly to trees and buildings. Low-hanging lights can get easily tangled in antlers.
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