Mule deer doe attacks elderly woman in northwest Colorado

An 85-year-old woman is seriously injured following a mule deer doe attack that happened on Wednesday afternoon.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is looking into the incident and says the woman was walking her dog within the city limits of Craig when she was attacked. The mule deer doe was with two fawns at the time of the attack.

The woman was transported to Craig Hospital and is said to have serious injuries.

Wildlife officers say they think the woman and her dog surprised the deer, leading to an unusually aggressive response by the doe.

According to wildlife officers, doe attacks are rare but can happen, especially when the animal is with her young.

CPW was able to locate the doe and her fawns and due to the doe’s aggressive behavior, CPW will put the animal down to protect public safety. The fawns will be taken to a local rehabilitation facility.

With a large mule deer population in Craig, officers want residents to be aware of the dangers of approaching wildlife, especially females with offspring.