Friendly deer shows Wisconsin man some love outside high school

Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin man had an unusual encounter with a friendly deer that walked right up to him and rubbed against his leg outside of the local high school.

Dave Bernarde of De Pere said he was working out Wednesday morning at West De Pere High School's gym Aug. 16 when the 6-point buck made an unexpected appearance outside the weight room exit.

"Couple of us got off our elliptical or treadmills and walked outside and there he was," Bernarde told WBAY-TV.

Bernarde posted a video to Facebook showing the friendly deer strolling up to him fearlessly and rubbing its head on his leg.

Bernarde, an experienced hunter, said the buck was unlike any deer he had encountered before,

"We've encountered deer in the wild, if they even get a sniff of you in the wild the result is typically at least they're on high alert and most of the time they're gone," he said. "To wrap those horns around my leg and try and rub it like a tree, I just never imagined in my life that I would have an encounter with an animal like that in that way, it just blew me away."

Bernarde said he has since learned the deer is something of a local celebrity.

"Dozens of people have mentioned their encounters, one guy said, 'He laid in the backyard of my neighbor and watched me cut lawn,' and another, 'I petted this deer by St. John's Church,'" he said.