A Rudolph-looking lawn decoration in Fort Nelson, British Columbia has become the target of bullying by young bucks that seem to mistake it for a real animal — and a likely rival competing for attention from female deer….possibly!
The Christmas decoration is actually a 3D archery target made to look like a whitetail deer it also has a bright red light bulb on its nose.
The buck might be especially aggressive around this time of year because it’s “rutting season,” or a period of time when deer and other animals approach their breeding season. A common rutting behavior is sparring among bucks, which might help the deer establish a dominance hierarchy among males. according to the Noble Research Institute.