Is it a midget, miniature or misfit? According to residents in one Pennsylvania town, it’s a bit of all three.
Peeping a look into his backyard, seeing a small herd of deer mowing down on what is left of his gardens is no surprise to John Dillard Jr. Located in Bethel Park, only a few miles south of Pittsburgh, Dillard’s home has long been a gathering place for local whitetails. A hunter himself, Dillard enjoys watching them and admittedly has developed a bit of empathy towards them over the years.
Although most of the deer tend to look relatively similar, one small specimen stepped out earlier this month and blew Dillard Jr. away. Fumbling for his camera, he managed to snap a few pics of the small, miniature deer that are now making their rounds on the internet.
The stubby little deer is something different than the smaller deer we are accustomed to in the south. With subspecies such as coues deer and Florida’s Key Deer that are generally quite small, it is the features on this small deer that set it apart.
Sporting a stocky frame and a stubby, yet somewhat majestic head, Dillard Jr. is convinced that this little deer is some bizarre cross between a cow and a whitetail. If you look closely, it almost seems as if this little guy even has a set of fangs like the infamous Chinese water deer.
“I never saw anything like it before in my life. I figure it’s some kind of genetic deformity, but you got to wonder if there’s some type of mixed breeding along the way,” Dillard said. “It looks like a calf to me.”
The pictures eventually landed with the state’s Game Commission who examined the evidence and concluded that the deer is likely the result of some odd genetic defect. State biologist Jeannine Fleegle mentioned that without examining the animal, it would be tough to confirm but ultimately expects the deer to continue to get along just fine.
“It is likely a genetic condition but not much more can be said unless the deer is examined,” said Fleegle. “The deer has survived just fine up to now and I imagine it’s going to continue to do so.”
So, while the theories continue to pour in on just what’s happening with the little deer making a big splash, Dillard Jr. has said he plans to simply continue to enjoy watching it.
Images: John Dillard Jr.