The viral video above features a huge buck accepting food from a group of construction workers who are seemingly on their lunch break. Four men decked in bright green construction attire and hardhats stand in a parking lot and pet the calm, friendly deer as it accepts food like crackers and carrots. The construction workers look as though they’re in heaven being able to embrace such a beautiful, wild animal.

At one point in the video, one of the workers says, “You’re so gentle“ as the deer softly eats out of the palm of his hand. It’s unclear why the deer approached these men or how it felt safe enough in their presence, but it certainly chose the right group of guys to secure its lunchtime meal. 

However, is this normal deer behavior? Should the men have been more careful? This article will answer all your burning deer questions.

Types of deer

There are over 40 different species of deer, all of which have their own unique attributes. For example, deer can come in a variety of colors, like brown, white, tan, and orange. Deer typically weigh between 22 pounds and 990 pounds and reach a height of 24 inches to 206 inches. Again, this depends entirely on the type of deer. 

Some of the most common types of deer include muntjac, elk, red deer, fallow deer, reindeer, white-tailed deer, roe deer, and moose (the largest member of the family Cervidae). 

The average deer can reach a top speed of 43 mph, and their average lifespan is around 10 to 20 years.

Why might a deer approach you?

Typically, if a deer feels comfortable enough to approach you, it likely has had many positive past experiences with humans before. In other words, the deer was possibly raised by humans and already felt safe in their presence. 

For a more spiritual outlook, you might consider a deer approaching you to be a sign that you have calm, inviting energy that allows the deer to feel safe. It’s quite rare that a deer would approach someone who is coming off as aggressive, loud, or unpredictable. Another quote you can hear in the video is: “You know you are at one with nature when nature comes up to you.” This is a great reminder of our connections to nature and wildlife.

Another reason the deer might approach you is that you have something it wants — in this case: food. Perhaps the deer in the video was hungry and searching for a quick and convenient snack, which is exactly what it got. It also looked like it may have been struggling with injuries or might have been experiencing pain, which can increase its vulnerability and cause it to seek comfort of some sort, making it appear more timid.

What to do if a deer approaches you

if a deer approaches you, you might feel inclined to pet it as the men did in the video above. However, instead, it’s important to remain calm and slowly back away from the animal. Some deer will attack if they feel threatened, and their behavior can be unpredictable. While a wild deer might appear at ease in one moment, it could suddenly lash out the next. That being said, it’s best to place an obstacle between you and the animal or scare it away, especially if it becomes aggressive or looks like it might attack you.

Many experts warn against trusting a deer that’s enticing you to feed them, as they might turn around and strike you with their hooves or attack you with their antlers, which can actually kill you. This is especially the case when it comes to a doe with its fawns or a territorial buck in a rut. 

Where do deer live? 

Deer live across the globe and are native to North America, Asia, South America, northern Africa, Europe, and more. In fact, the only continents where they are not native include Australia and Antarctica. That being said, Australia has been introduced to several new deer species, which can be found in the continent today.

In terms of their environments, deer typically thrive in forestland with lots of trees. They can also be found in wetlands, tropical rainforests, grasslands, as well as tundra, and deserts, depending on the species.

You might notice deer roaming your neighborhood and other suburban settings as well. This is because deer can adapt to their surroundings and oftentimes become comfortable in the presence of humans, as portrayed in the video above.

What do deer eat?

Deer are herbivores, meaning they eat plants like grass, acorns, and fruit. As seen in the video above, they will often feast on some types of human food, such as apples, carrots, corn, oats, and alfalfa. Many people will also put out deer food to attract the animals to their property or their hunting grounds. While this is usually done with good intentions, such supplemental feeding can actually harm deer and end up killing them. 

That being said, the feeding behaviors shown in the video above are mostly harmless and endearing.

Are deer friendly?

Deer are wild animals that are usually too timid to get close to humans. However, sometimes, if they feel a human is a threat, they will become aggressive and territorial. Even though the video above captured a wholesome moment between construction workers and a friendly deer, petting this wild animal is actually not the best idea for you or the deer. As mentioned earlier, they can be unpredictable creatures, and such interactions can disturb their natural behavior.

Nevertheless, deer usually are afraid of humans and will run away if you get too close to them. However, some deer have adapted to urban and suburban areas with tons of people desensitizing their exposures to humans. Even so, it is rare for a deer to approach you and be as friendly as the one shown in the video above

Do deer ever attack humans?

Yes, bucks and does protecting their fawn will attack humans if they feel threatened or territorial. In fact, some males have even been known to kill their human handlers when their wild animal instincts kick in, viewing you as a dangerous predator.

Why might a deer be spray-painted?

The deer in the video above has an orange mark spray-painted onto its head. While some individuals assumed this was a sort of abusive tactic of a sick individual, many commenters actually explained that some humans will raise babies and mark them with paint once they’re grown, letting hunters know not to shoot the deer. This is especially common in states where hunters get the most deer.

While many people do keep deer as pets, it’s actually unadvisable to domesticate any sort of wild animal, including a deer. In fact, even if you find an injured baby deer, you can still do more damage than good by trying to help it and getting too close. It’s best to leave deer — especially newborns — alone with their own survival instincts.

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