If found, the deer will be euthanized to prevent future attacks on humans, officials said.
A 67-year-old Colorado woman was attacked and gored by a deer outside her home, resulting in a puncture wound in her left leg, according to reports.
Officials said the unidentified woman was attacked in her front doorway by a small mule deer buck who had with two spikes on each antler on Sunday.
The victim suffered a puncture wound to her left leg and horrific bruising on her right leg before she was able to bring herself back inside for protection, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a news release.
The attack occurred in the center of Silver Cliff, a town of about 600, located 55 miles west of Pueblo in the Wet Mountain Valley, between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the west and the Wet Mountains in sparsely populated Custer County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.
The woman was brought to the hospital after calling her husband, New York Post reported.
After the attack, officials said that two young bucks were seen sparring in the yard, common behavior during the deer rut, or mating season.
“A wildlife officer went to investigate and found a bird feeder in the yard,” Mike Brown, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Area Wildlife manager in the region said in a statement. “The victim told a CPW officer that she feeds birds and had thrown out bread earlier that day.”
Brown said there had been no recent reports of aggressive deer in Silver Cliff. He said the nature of the attack immediately raised concerns because it happened so close to the home and that someone had been feeding the deer, causing it to lose its fear of people.
“I believe this is a good example of what happens when deer lose their natural fear of humans,” Brown said. “They become aggressive and dangerous. This is a good reminder that wild animals should always be treated as such and that people need to give wildlife the space they need. We’re glad this woman wasn’t more seriously injured.”
If found, the deer will be euthanized to prevent future attacks on humans, officials said.
