Jamie King, from Riverton, says he filmed this video of his children playing with a wild doe.
The video (featured above) is raising concerns with Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources.
Statement from DWR Wildlife Program Coordinator and Outreach Program Manager Phil Douglass:
“It’s exhilarating when you touch something wild and I understand that part of it, but I also know very well the dangers that can exist with a wild animal. When they appear docile and then for no apparent reason will just turn on you. They are dangerous and I can see it in the eyes of those kids, I know what it is like to be close to something wild and touch something wild , it is heart-warming but it can be dangerous so I’m concerned about it. As I watch that video, people can interpret it as being a warm response but I can find the animal being agitated by it. The deer allowed close association but it also looked like it was agitated a little and when that agitation becomes a lot, that is when I get concerned. It’s a wonderful part of being human to touch something wild but my response is just because we can doesn’t mean we should. 15 years ago an incident in San Pete County happened when a teenage boy was walking the fence line and found a deer that was caught in the fence, and he was tenderhearted and tried to get the deer out, and the boy and deer were both found dead. I’d hate to see someone with good intentions get hurt.”
