The Deer was Interested!

Jim Stokes

Went for about a 45km ride this morning near Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Once out of the City and into farm fields, I rode alongside a deer (a young buck, complete with antlers), for about 500 metres.

It was bounding through a field on an angle that would have eventually met my line. It was getting closer and closer to me, bounding through the field, but stopped when an oncoming car passed.

It continued looking at me. Then, once the car had passed, resumed its bounding on an angle towards me. Once it reached the fence, I spoke (I was getting a little nervous of what it wanted from me) and it immediately turned 90 degrees and took off across the field away from me.

So, a couple of questions come to mind:

1. Do the brains of male deer in rut have little to do with their actions?

2. Does black and blue spandex on a white bike serve as an attractant? Or does an unshowered, middle-aged man who has just cycled about 15km at 30km/hour smell good to a buck?

3. Did he want to attack me because I was considered an intruding buck; albeit with no antlers sticking out of my ears?

It was something to watch this deer bounding along beside me for such a long stretch, but it still bewilders me as to what the stupid thing was thinking.

Dr.Hairybiker

Did the rut start up there already?

Maybe he was just checking out your bike. He wanted to know where he could get one.

lakerider23

I had a similar experience during an off road ride at Kissimmee River State Park in Florida. Only the buck wasn't moving and just stared me down as I stopped to look at him. In a matter of moments he started drooling at the mouth and digging his front hoof in the dirt. At that point I decided to get the hell out of there because no doubt he would have come after me.

I was told by the park ranger this agressiveness is in part territorial as much as anything especially if there are females in the area he's claimed. And, the ranger told me if I wouldn't have road away the deer would have attacked

gubaguba

Most likely the Rut. I would think it would start earlier up north not usually until October here. Male deer do all sorts of crazy things usually that makes for interesting reading in the local paper once or twice a season. I guess its no worse than buying a sports car and paying for expensive dinners. Seems like they got it easy.

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djrocker257

Yes, they only think about sex a couple of weeks a year. We think about it all year long.

kayakboy32

I bet my 8 track collection he was thinking the same thing. What did you say to him?

poweredbysweat

I've had one bound across the road about 10 meters in front of me. I've also had one just start at me from about 30 meters. I kept riding though.

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Spartan

You mean you don't carry a 308 on your rides? Heck, you could of had a venison steak......

It's scary to see them when in rut, their instinct for self preservation evaporates. I was out on a filedtrip with my wife many moons ago and I one point, I heard my wife yelping behind me. It turned out to be a deer was chasing us in somewhat slow motion. I screamed for her to speed ahead of me and as she passed me, I was wondering what the heck I was going to do. I figured I needed to use the bike as a shield and hoped that it was enough to counter the antlers.

The entire thing sopped as quickly as it started. The buck just stopped at one point and the entire thing was over. Of course, since then, I never cease to take the opportunity to remind my wife how attractive she is.......to deer.

nomotornozen

My route often takes me through a forest preserve in suburban Chicago that is home to a few bambis. They mainly stay off in the distance in the fields, but have been close to the paths on several occasions. Deer and motorcycles are a bad mixture, do deer run out into bicycles like they do motorcycles? Even when it's not the mating season?