WEST SEATTLE DEER: New sightings as it heads westbound

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

10:12 AM: The West Seattle Deer – apparently also formerly the Union Bay and Beacon Hill deer – has resurfaced, and it’s on the move. Last sighting reports were on Monday near the north end of Longfellow Creek (here’s our Tuesday followup), and now we’re getting reports and photos from the Fairmount area. The photo above is from Robert Seely near 36th and Dawson; we also got calls about Fauntleroy and Hudson; and Neal Brandt sent this photo from California and Hudson:

(added) Michael Lockman from WEdesign (WSB sponsor), whose truck is in the photo above from the Rite-Aid parking lot, sent a photo too:

(added) Here’s a short video clip sent by Christine after seeing it near 36th/Brandon:

WSB reader video of the deer (thanks, Christine) – https://t.co/zRR976GtoZ pic.twitter.com/My7mCDnztF

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 4, 2016

PLEASE be careful if you are going to be on the road. As for what to do if you see it – Seattle Animal Shelter deals with injured wildlife but if it’s not in distress, acting director Ann Graves told us Tuesday, it could be more traumatizing to the deer to try to capture it, than to let it be. The first reported West Seattle sighting was Monday on Pigeon Point; while deer are abundant elsewhere, even right across the Sound on Vashon Island, sightings in Seattle city limits are rare.

10:53 AM: The deer is continuing to make tracks west. Commenter Cinemama saw it at 44th/Juneau; Sue Lindblom of Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) e-mailed us to report seeing it at 48th/Juneau.

11:25 AM: Now the deer is heading south – caller to our 24/7 hotline (206-293-6302) has a backyard sighting near 49th and Raymond.

2:15 PM: A few more sightings – Seaview at 11:45 am (added below: photo from Angela, 50th & Graham):

And more recently, 5200 block of Beach Drive, then up into the greenbelt, per a caller.

2:58 PM: That photo is from Vanessa – Beach Drive “south of La Rustica.”

Cinemama November 4, 2016 (10:37 am)

He just walked by my house 44th and Juneau. Very attractive, not particularly fearful. Thanks for the reporting as I’ve been on hold with animal control for over 15 min. Sounds like just him do his thing!

56bricks November 4, 2016 (10:48 am)

By the way, tonites special at Ephesus restaurant is venison.

WSB November 4, 2016 (10:52 am)

That was indeed Ephesus in the photo. But Bambi seems to have made it out of the commercial district … adding a 48th/Juneau sighting. Might be down to Beach Drive soon.
AJP November 4, 2016 (11:16 am)

HAHAHAHAHA!

AMD November 4, 2016 (10:54 am)

Her leg looks to be doing better.

ScottAmick November 4, 2016 (11:46 am)

FYI – It’s gender is male with the antlers. Although when googling this topic I’ve learned that female reindeer can grow small antlers. He is a Columbian Black-tailed deer per http://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2016/10/looking-for-lefty.html

Bebow November 4, 2016 (10:54 am)

What an amazing sight. Saw him just after 10:30 heading West on Juneau – just strolling along.

Casey November 4, 2016 (11:16 am)

11:10 am Just spotted him going through the back yards on the west side of 49th & Raymond, headed north. So exciting!

Maggie November 4, 2016 (11:22 am)

Really, it’s more traumatizing to capture the deer and relocate it to a safer environment? You know what’s even more traumatizing than this is getting hit by a car. It’s time to do your job Animal Control!

Marianne November 4, 2016 (7:29 pm)

It is not the job of Animal Control to round up wild animals (maybe the Department of Wildlife). I recently saw an injured deer in Anacortes. Police happened to be there so I inquired. The officer said they only intervene if the animal is suffering. Then they shoot it. Glad the deer here made it to a greenbelt on Beach Drive.

seaspades November 4, 2016 (11:24 am)

By the path it’s taking, is it heading to catch a Vashon Ferry to reunite with the other deer?

chemist November 4, 2016 (12:04 pm)

Maybe it’s going for a ride to visit with the formerly-of-fauntleroy white geese.
JanS November 4, 2016 (12:39 pm)

Seaspades…exactly my thought…or maybe it’ll just swim back…

Gretchen F November 4, 2016 (11:32 am)

Just now going through yards 49th SW between Graham and Juneau

Trileigh November 4, 2016 (12:05 pm)

Oh, come this way, a little further south, “Westley”! We would love to have you in our yard – tons of foraging for you!

Zippyido November 4, 2016 (1:04 pm)

Sighted on the Mount St. Vincent campus about 11:30 am on Friday . A special treat for shoppers at the holiday bazaar.

Kyle Smith November 4, 2016 (1:06 pm)

He’s heading to New Luck Toy for some drinks and dumplings next.

Trileigh November 4, 2016 (1:14 pm)

So the deer was spotted at 49th/Graham and at Providence at around 11:30? He’s a fast-moving guy—or could we possibly have two?

unknown November 4, 2016 (1:19 pm)

This just amazes me that there is a deer in WS, maybe I’m naïve but how’d the heck did he get here? Is there a bus that picks up these wayward animals (turkeys, coyotes…) and busses them here?!

:>)

datamuse November 5, 2016 (9:17 am)

I dunno about the turkeys, but the coyotes live here. They den up in places like the West Duwamish Greenbelt, I’ve seen them in the area several times.

Dan November 4, 2016 (1:20 pm)

Westly made it to Beach Drive around 11:45

newnative November 4, 2016 (1:22 pm)

Oh Westly, stay away from Lincoln Park and the off-leash dogs.

AMD November 4, 2016 (2:08 pm)

Have we officially named him Westley?

Rico November 4, 2016 (2:26 pm)

He just walked up our steps, headed past the garden and into the neighbor’s back yard on Beach Dr SW, south of Jacobsen.

newnative November 4, 2016 (2:40 pm)

If WSB can grant him West Seattle residence, I think we can name him Westley. :-D

raywest November 4, 2016 (2:41 pm)

For the safety of the deer, maybe Fish & Wildlife should get involved.

Trileigh November 4, 2016 (3:17 pm)

I sure hope Westley can be monitored to keep him safe, while people stay far enough away (in cars or in person) that he doesn’t feel harassed and do something dangerous to himself. A greenbelt sounds like a good place for him.

Blinkyjoe November 4, 2016 (3:17 pm)

I’m putting in my order for “Wandering Westly” t-shirts featuring a deer head.

#westseattlewierdness

wssz November 4, 2016 (3:26 pm)

PAWS Wildlife Rehab would be the best place to contact. Anyone who knows his exact location, please contact PAWS — 425-412-4040. https://www.paws.org/wildlife/found-a-wild-animal/ THEY CLOSE AT 5PM.

S November 4, 2016 (3:31 pm)

For the safety of the deer and the idiot people walking up to it to take videos, back off. You are getting way to close. That is how people get attacked.

RayWest November 4, 2016 (5:12 pm)

You bring up a good point (though I wouldn’t have said it that way). Deer attacks on people can cause severe injuries. Everyone should keep their distance. This is a young buck and you could get impaled by his antlers. Stay safe.

Mary November 4, 2016 (4:16 pm)

Hope he makes it up to Fairmount Ave. Lots of woods on our street. Plus, a wildlife refuge. We’ll put out a salt block.

Elle Nell November 4, 2016 (4:42 pm)

Kind of my thoughts -S… Attack is a definite possibility but more so respect for our gentle creatures is completely in order.

Meaning observing from a reasonable distance with a quiet presence. These are wild animals that we want to stay wild…it’s interesting how it seems like we have to tell people how to act right, constantly… WTF!

Enid November 4, 2016 (4:54 pm)

He can come and live at my house. I just want him to be safe.

Westley needs a lift November 4, 2016 (5:39 pm)

This is such a heart warming story, but somehow sad. He/She will likely meet “Urban Demise” before getting to the islands, which seems like that’s what it’s trying to do.

How can we lobby DNR to get off their “policies” and help relocate this wild creature to safer environs. Seems a shame to let this beautiful animal remain trapped in the City

Mike November 5, 2016 (7:57 am)

lobby the DNR to relocate a deer? Do you know what the DNR is even for? Deer are not a natural resource. You could try and lobby the DNR to provide more land dedicated to natural habitat for wildlife, maybe we can have the DNR buy back a few thousand homes in West Seattle and return the peninsula back to it’s natural state.
- miws November 5, 2016 (12:34 pm)
  
  Do you know what the DNR is even for?
  
  Deer Need Relocating?
  
  (Sorry!)
  
  Mike

Cheryl November 4, 2016 (5:55 pm)

Probably a wayward buck that swam over from Vashon… but please don’t send him back, we have THOUSANDS of them here! Thank goodness for the occasional visiting cougars and bears that swim over from the Kitsap peninsula or we’d have a bazillion of the little buggers. Oh, and he is indeed a black-tailed deer (or Columbian black-tailed deer), which is a subspecies of mule deer. Hopefully, he’ll make his way back to a more wooded location.

artlore November 4, 2016 (6:19 pm)

So can Westly use the bike lanes, or do we need to create “deer” lanes now?

Dasher November 4, 2016 (7:28 pm)

Is it lost?

Vicki November 4, 2016 (7:39 pm)

Yes, please! Let’s adopt this buck! ” Westly”? What ever it takes to protect this amazing creature!!! How Brave and fearless he is, strolling around our neighborhoods!!!

Please, give him the space he needs to not be afraid of all of us.

There are deer living in Japan, totally chilled, once they know they are safe.

Lets do that here!

no one lane on 35th November 4, 2016 (8:45 pm)

This isn’t herd, it’s not an entire flock, it’s one lost deer.

The notion that State Wildlife ( or whatever agency) can not intervene to relocate before the inevitable car strike seems absurd.

It’s an isolated incident, not a trend.

Get on the job and help with a positive outcome to what has become a publicly focused incident.

Animals in distress are not amusing .

Marsh November 4, 2016 (9:23 pm)

This video shows that you don’t want to get a deer angry!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY-FKI_VOCg

WSB November 4, 2016 (9:37 pm)

Not a mama deer with her fawn nearby, at least.

S November 5, 2016 (8:41 am)

And this is why people shouldn’t walk up to a deer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysOGIsX9Sx8

S. Foley November 5, 2016 (11:32 am)

Spotted the deer at Genessee and 55th around 10:30 this morning.

WSB November 5, 2016 (11:46 am)

We’ve received a photo too – from 53rd and Andover – I’m expecting to publish an update later.

waikikigirl November 5, 2016 (12:11 pm)

@S…. all I have to say YAHOO!!!! That’s what he gets for trying to kill/shooting at the deer !

CG November 5, 2016 (12:59 pm)

12:45. Just saw him at. Or we of Schmitz park. Admiral and Stevens. He always considering crossing Admiral to the north, but turned and went back into Schmitz.

C November 5, 2016 (2:46 pm)

Just walked by 45th and Massachusetts. Headed north on 45th

RayWest November 5, 2016 (5:27 pm)

He sure gets around.

RayWest November 5, 2016 (5:29 pm)

I’m really concerned he will get hit by a car–either accidentally or on purpose.

CG November 5, 2016 (6:17 pm)

I don’t want to be negative, but it’s nearly inevitable the deer is going to get hit by a car and broken. I’m pulling for the little guy and wish I knew of a realistic path to his relocation. If anybody has knowledge of, or access to resources that could get this done, I’d pony some cash for the effort. I’d love this to end in a feel good story.