https://www.dropbox.com/s/dy4bw4i30q0hxne/VRP82345.mp4?dl=0
This is the moment a wildlife officer encounters a deer with an antler missing after it broke into a Tennessee primary school and spent the night wrecking a classroom.
The incident took place at the Westside Elementary School in the city of Springfield in Robertson County in the US state of Tennessee on November 23.
The footage shows a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) officer, named as Kaleb Stratton, encountering the buck in the classroom.
Stratton says: ‘So, how’s everybody else’s morning going today? This guy has had a rough one!’
He then pans around the wrecked classroom before laughing and focussing on the calm deer, which apparently has an antler missing, possibly after fighting a rival for a love interest during mating season.
As he comes into the room the buck is towards the far side of the room but apparently not showing any fear then walks towards the wildlife official stopping just short of touching distance in order to size up the new arrival.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) said: ‘Surprise student at Westside Elementary in Springfield this morning!
‘Officer Kaleb Stratton was called to the school to remove the individual, who had apparently broken his way in through an emergency exit.
‘The 2.5/3.5-year-old whitetail buck was in good spirits and allowed Officer Stratton to lead him to an exit.’
Many people commented on the fact that the buck appeared to be a young male and not yet a full stag, but it appears not to have stopped him chasing females and getting into trouble.
During the enforced stay in the playroom overnight surrounded by toys the deer had clearly left a puddle on the floor, as well as apparently depositing pellets that mixed among the toys, pencils and furniture including chairs and tables that it had knocked into disarray.
The officials earned praise from online commentators for removing animal safely without harming him and many commented that it looks as if it would be a magnificent stag when it’s a couple of years older.
A buck is used to refer to immature males as well as mature adults whereas a stag is the term only used to refer to fully grown males.