Deer Can Jump really high

When did I first realize this?

I think I knew they could jump at least 5 to 7 feet and clear their hooves over fences for years now. And in fact they like to eat our lilies that grow inside our yard. But, they have to jump over a fence likely 6 foot 6 inches tall to do this and then jump back out. I only have one dog now, a puppy that we bring in at night so likely at night they jump over our back fence to eat the lillies when they are in bloom. But, I used to have 2 dogs till they both passed away between 2015 and 2018. And for awhile we also had a Yellow Lab rescue we had after our Australian Shepard Long hair German shepard mix passed away in I believe 2015 in 2016. And he lived until our 15 or 16 year old female Corgi passed away in 2018 in February and I think he passed away in May I believe before I could get home to him from Portland then because I was having health problems at that time. So, I couldn't rush home to be with him as he passed.

But, here is the amazing story about a multi-horn buck deer that lives on the coast in the forest I live in here. There's no hunting along the coast at all that I know of so the deer often get very big from the biggest bucks being in charge.

So, one night I was walking my dogs at about 9 pm at night (the first corgi and the Australian shepard German Shepard mix who was the smartest dog I ever met).

It was dark so the dogs suddenly started barking and luckily I had them both on leashes and I turned my flashlight what their barking was all about and when I saw the biggest horned buck I had ever seen in person cornered against a fence I thought: "We are dead!"

But then the strangest thing happened. The Buck jumped right over my head and bounded away. But, this means in order to clear my head he would have had to have jumped over 6 feet 5 inches because that is how tall I am. This was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed in my life to have a buck from a standing start without running to jump this high and this far and be gone just like that!

So, ever after that I have a lot more respect for Bucks and deer in general and try always if I'm walking on a street and not on a trail to have my dog (or dogs) on leashes to prevent bucks or female deer with babies from killing my dogs.

People think deer won't hurt them but that is only true of you don't corner them or have dogs around deer with babies. A female deer can also instantly kill a dog with a hoof to the head and their hooves are razor sharp and they are very good with them.

One buck didn't like my truck and would put a hoof mark into the cement to the point where it chipped out all the cement in the form of his hoof. I guess he was threatening the truck at night while it was parked. Maybe someone's truck had hit him or scared him at some point.

IF a buck or doe can chip out a hoof mark in cement your dog's skull would also be penetrated by a blow like that.

So, keeping your dogs away from deer both bucks and does is really important.