Several reports of aggressive deer in Columbia Valley near Cultus Lake have surfaced over the last few days.
Of note, an ambulance was called out Monday evening to an area near Kosikar Road, when a woman was reportedly knocked over by a deer and sustained minor injuries.
Wildsafe BC's Wildlife Alert Reporting Program also lists a reported encounter on Maple Falls Road that took place on Saturday afternoon.
Tales of aggressive deer generally start to surface this time of year, and while they aren't carnivores, they are protective.
Deer and other hooved animals (ungulates) will react to defend themselves or their young. Male deer also become aggressive during mating season in the fall.
Wildsafe B.C. offers these tips to keeping deer away from your property.
• Never feed deer. They have plenty of natural foods in the wild and attracting them into town will not help them out in the long run.
• Make your yard unattractive to deer by trimming back any cover that they might use while travelling or bedding.
• Dissuade deer from using your yard by using motion activated lights and sprinklers randomly.
• Fence your orchards and crops to exclude deer and other wildlife. Usually this requires a high and electrified fence to be effective.
• Chase deer from your property whenever they appear to ensure they do not become comfortable around people. This will help the deer in the long run.