ROXANA — A giant buck startled students and staff when it appeared on the playground at Central Intermediate Elementary School, officials said.
The deer was first seen on the blacktop area of the school playground before it jumped over a six-foot fence and left the premises, according to Christine Higdon, who submitted the photo.
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“We had an early morning visitor on our playground, a giant buck,” Higdon said. “Before we had a chance to figure out how to get him off our blacktop, he jumped our six-foot fence.”
No injuries or damage were reported, and school officials did not indicate any disruption to the school day.
Deer are known for their impressive jumping ability. A healthy adult deer can clear vertical heights of 7 to 8 feet, with some estimates reaching up to 10 feet when startled or chased. Horizontally, deer can leap as far as 30 feet in a single bound.
Because of this, fencing designed to deter deer typically needs to be at least 8 feet tall. Alternatives include using multiple fences spaced apart or electric fencing to prevent deer from entering certain areas. In this case, the fence was not sufficient to contain the buck.
