Once again, Victorians should be aware that it is rutting season for the local deer population, meaning it is best to be aware of the animals’ personal space.
From around mid-October to December, deer in Greater Victoria are going through their rutting season.
According to the BC SPCA, male deer, or bucks, become more interested in female deer, also known as does, and will compete for their attention during this time of year.
This means bucks will be showing more aggression, perceiving other males as competition—often challenging and fighting them.
Additionally, many bucks can be seen rubbing their antlers on trees, scraping the ground with their hooves or pushing each other around during rutting season.
“If you see deer when you are outside, give them plenty of space – they may feel threatened by close quarters and see humans or companion animals as a ‘rival’ or simply as a danger during this sensitive time,” said BC SPCA in a recent warning about rutting season.
“Take a different route if deer activity is regularly occurring in an area, keep dogs leashed and pick up small dogs if a deer is near.”
Just last year, an incident took place in Fernwood, where a resident’s dog was attacked by a rutting deer while the dog was let out in its backyard.
Furthermore, another dog was attacked in Oak Bay last year and it died of its injuries.
BC SPCA added that it is unfortunate, but rutting season usually coincides with the time of year where the number of deer-vehicle collisions increases dramatically.
This is caused by deer becoming more active at night, especially around dawn and dusk.
The animal advocacy organization asks that motorists in deer-populated areas drive carefully, and watch for the animals to avoid collisions.
“When you see one deer, slow down and watch for others, because another deer (or more!) may be close behind,” BC SPCA continued.
“Don’t feed deer at any time of year. This causes them to become habituated to humans, and they are more likely to show aggression towards people or be involved in vehicle collisions.”
