According to the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife, Officer Cassidy English investigated the deaths of two deer found on Mayfair Avenue on Dec. 7. She determined they died from injuries sustained during fights with other deer.
Injuries from antlers can look very similar to gunshot wounds, but CPW officers are trained to differentiate these injuries during a necropsy.
Deer are currently in rut, their breeding season when bucks become aggressive and use their antlers to fight other bucks for the opportunity to mate. It is common for the losing deer to sustain life-threatening injuries during these fights.
“Bucks can turn this aggression toward people or pets as well, so be sure not to attract deer to your yard and keep your distance if you see one. Be sure to keep your pets on a leash and under control at all times,” Joey Livingston, statewide public information officer, wrote in a release.