Authorities in Texas hunting for exotic deer on the loose

Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Authorities in Texas said they are searching for an exotic deer spotted running loose through a residential neighborhood.

Longview police and animal control officers were out searching Wednesday for the white fallow deer, a species native to Eurasia, after the animal was spotted running through the Wildwood neighborhood.

Gregg County Game Warden Todd Long told the Longview News-Journal the buck's antlers look "a lot like a reindeer rack."

"And he's white. He's a really pretty animal," he said.

Long said authorities are hoping to tranquilize and relocate the animal. He said the deer may have escaped from a ranch specializing in exotic game, or it may have escaped from a truck transporting it through the area. The owner of the deer has not been identified.

The game warden said there is a chance authorities might have to shoot and kill the fallow deer, in which case the meat would be distributed to needy families in the area by local agencies.

A fallow deer was previously spotted loose in the Longview area in October 2017. It was unclear whether the sightings were related.