ELY - An Ely police officer patrolling the city last Wednesday night saw a deer chasing a man who was walking his dog, in the 300 block of East Conan Street, at around 9 p.m.

Officer Brad Roy got out of his car and yelled, attempting to avert the deer from his stalking. The deer did stop, but then continued to follow the man and his dog, according to the incident report.

Roy yelled again at the deer, and the deer started to approach the officer.  According to police, two dogs in a fenced-in yard across the street began barking and the deer diverted its attention to the new threat. The deer ran across the street and started to hit the fence with a hoof.

Roy called for backup from a conservation officer from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, who related that it was probably a doe acting aggressively in protecting a newborn fawn.

New deer are born in mid-May though early June, according to the DNR, and baby deer should be left where found. In most cases the mother deer will be close by, even if out of sight.

According to the press statement, Officer Roy gave the deer a verbal warning, and she was sent on her way.

Cecilia Rolando, who lives at 248 E. Harvey Street, provided the Timberjay with this tidbit in an email on Tuesday, May 21: “Last night a doe gave birth to twins in my backyard,” she said. “She is hanging around there and someone said she could there for up to two weeks.  This is right in the middle of town!”

The Ely Police Department advised curious residents to stay away from fawns and deer for their own safety, and to keep their pets away. too.