Tobey Veenstra
The Broadside

Two injured buck deer were spotted on Central Oregon Community College’s Bend campus and reported to campus security on Monday, Nov. 14. The deer each had one broken leg and were presumably hit by a car.

Since COCC security officers were not able to handle the incident, Bend Animal Control had to be called.

“We were not equipped to do anything about the situation,” said COCC Campus Public Safety Coordinator Jim Bennett. “We did keep an officer on duty.”

Although the deer both appeared to have broken legs, it was unknown when and where that could have occurred, according to Bennett.

One of the deer however, had been spotted earlier, said James Krauger, a Bend police officer responding to incident.

“The big one—I’m not sure if it was a four-by-four [antler points] or a four-byfive—was found in somebody’s yard the day before,” said Krauger. “He had the broken leg then.”

Officers assessed the injured deer Monday night. When approached, the bucks vacated the campus.

If students come across injured wildlife on campus, it is important that they contact COCC campus security, according to Bennett and Krauger.

“We live in a wilderness area,” said Bennett. “It is important that students do not interact with them, approach them or attempt to touch them … Just let wild animals be wild animals.”

Krauger warned that deer “perceive humans as a dangerous threat.”

He advised students to “use caution should they encounter a deer when going to class or their vehicles … If they have any questions they can contact the COCC campus security … or even ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife).”

Students can also report such cases to Animal Control, a department protecting public safety and promoting animal care in Bend. In this instance however, Animal Control was unable to care for the deer since they were still mobile and likely to survive, according to Bennett.

COCC campus security can be reached at 541-383-7775. Bend Animal Control can be reached at 541-388-5550 and ODFW can be reached at 541-383-7146.

You can reach Tobey Veenstra at [email protected].