CLINTON COUNTY – Pennsylvania Game Commission officials are investigating the apparently unprovoked attack by a male white-tailed deer on two residents that occurred early Wednesday morning in Clintondale.
The incident on Fishing Creek Road began when a woman attempted to go into her backyard to feed cats, and a buck that was standing at her backdoor would not let her out of the house. Alerted to the situation, a man exited the house to attempt to chase the deer away and, without warning, the buck repeatedly charged and gored him.
The woman contacted the Lamar-based state police at 7:40 a.m., and Cpl. Todd A. Brian and Trooper Stephen E. Wilcox immediately responded to the scene and found the deer attacking the woman, who had entered the backyard in an attempt to chase the deer away from attacking the man. Unable to get a clean shot at the deer, Brian grabbed the deer by its antlers and wrestled it away from the woman, and then both officers fired shots to put it down.
After the Game Commission was contacted at 7:42 a.m., Clinton County WCO Kenneth Packard arrived at the scene and took possession of the carcass for transport to Dr. Walter Cottrell, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian headquartered at Penn State University, who will conduct a full necropsy of the animal.