Deer Won't Leave, Gets Aggressive When Man Takes Selfie In Staten Island Woods
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Staten Island man had a wild encounter recently when an eight-point buck showed up in his cellphone pictures.
As CBS2's Raegan Medgie reported, it all went well until the deer turned into a dangerous selfie.
Ryan Planco of New Springville was out in the woods Nov. 6 when the deer appeared and approached.
"As I was taking my pictures, there was a deer that actually did not shy away, and he decided to actually come up to me," Planco said.
Planco took CBS2's Medgie to the scene where it all happened.
"He just came up to me and started nudging me, and he started sniffing me out, and I started petting him, and the whole thing lasted 20 minutes," Planco said.
After a few more selfies, Planco felt it was time to go. But the buck did not agree.
"I guess he got attached and he was not letting me leave," Planco said. "He kept coming up to me as I was walking away. He kept rubbing up on me."
When Planco ran into the buck, wildlife experts say it was the peak of rut season -- when testosterone is raging in the bucks and they're ready to breed. That likely explains why that buck was extra cheeky to him.
"As I'm leaving, he takes off and blocks the path. I say to myself, which way do I go? Do I pass him? Do I go backwards? Instead, he starts walking towards me, puts his head down like he's going into battle stance and, I say to myself, 'OK, this is not going to end up good,'" Planco said.
Planco took another picture of the deer that he thought was going to be his last. But the buck started charging toward him.
"I grabbed onto his antlers, and I pushed as far down as I could. At the same time, he pushed back and just let go, and it was just, I thank God that that happened; that he did not come up and poke me," Planco said.
Planco did not return to the woods until CBS2 brought him back to the scene. But he is on the watch.
"I'm looking for him," he said. "From the time we came in, I'm keeping my eye open."
