Deputies in St. Johns County had a “buck-wild” situation on their hands when a deer wandered into a Florida home — and wasn’t eager to leave. After getting him out, the stubborn buck jumped into the pool twice before finally taking off.
THE TAKEAWAY:
- A buck wandered into a St. Johns County home and proved reluctant to leave.
- Before finally fleeing the property, the deer took a quick dip in the homeowner’s swimming pool.
- The unusual home invasion left even seasoned deputies stunned, with one veteran noting it was a first in his 23-year career.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies in St. Johns County had a “buck-wild” situation on their hands after an unexpected four-legged visitor wandered into a Florida home — and wasn’t exactly eager to leave.
On Aug. 23, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home where they found a deer had made itself comfortable in the homeowner’s bathroom.
Deer invades Florida home, reluctant to leave.
(St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
Body camera footage shows deputies arriving on scene and being led to the deer.
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“Oh, that’s a buck,” one deputy said as he began laughing.
With the help of the homeowner, they tried to block the deer off so it only had one way out.
Deputies create barricade for the deer.
(St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
Footage shows them moving a table and chairs to barricade the room, leaving the deer with nowhere to go but toward the back door, which leads to the pool.
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One deputy began clapping, trying to get the deer to move, to no avail.
Deer invades Florida home, reluctant to leave.
(St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
“He’s just kind of stuck, he’s in frozen mode,” the deputy said. In fact, the situation was being described as a “true deer-in-headlights moment,” when the sheriff’s office highlighted the incident on Facebook.
One deputy then grabbed a long pool brush from outside — a detail that, in hindsight, feels like a clue to what comes next.
Deputy extends long pool brush into the bathroom to remove the deer.
(St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
A few seconds after the deputy extended the brush into the bathroom, the deer began to move, its hooves clattering across the floor as it headed for the exit.
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“Not the pool, don’t go in the pool,” the deputy said as the deer made a straight beeline for the water.
After a quick swim, deputies guided the deer to the pool steps. It took off, only to end up jumping back into the pool.
Trespassing deer jumps into pool before fleeing home in St. Johns County, Florida.
(St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office / Facebook)
The second swim was quicker than the first, however, and the deer almost immediately got back out, burst through the homeowner’s gate and scurried into the woods.
The intruder was persistent, and the sheriff’s office joked on Facebook that “The buck fled before deputies could issue a warning for trespassing.”
“First time I had a deer in a house in 23 years of my profession,” one deputy said.
