Mule deer attacked woman, rescuer

A woman was able to escape an attack by a mule deer after a passerby and his daughter fought off the buck, grabbing the antlers and striking it with a hammer until it fled, state wildlife officials said. Sue Panter was on a stroll near her home in rural southeastern Idaho when the buck attacked, raking her body with his antlers and goring her legs, officials said. Michael Vaughan and his 17-year-old daughter, Alexis, spotted the struggle early Friday and tried to intervene, the state Department of Fish and Game said in a statement Sunday. Vaughan's daughter got out of their vehicle and started punching the deer, while he grabbed the buck by the antlers, which allowed Panter to escape, according to the agency. Vaughan said that while he wrestled with the buck, his daughter retrieved a hammer and struck the deer. Vaughan's daughter then drove Panter and her father to a hospital, where they were treated and released on Friday. The man's legs were punctured three times during the struggle, wildlife officials said. It was unclear why the animal attacked the woman. Such confrontations are unusual, but the behavior that was reported is typical of deer that have been reared as pets, according to state wildlife officials...more

Wildlife officials come up with another rationale to explain an attack. I guess they couldn't claim a buck was just defending his "cubs".