Giles County man hospitalized after being attacked by nine-point buck

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GILES COUNTY (WSLS 10) – A Pearisburg man is hospitalized after being attacked by a nine-point buck in his backyard.

The attack happened sometime after 4 p.m. on Monday outside his home on Riverbend Drive in Pearisburg, according to Lee Walker, a Richmond-based VDGIF spokesperson,

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Paul "Chappy" Baker, a Giles County Board of Supervisor member, was hospitalized after the attack.

Walker said according to a report from Paul's wife Tammy, the attack lasted 10 minutes. Walker said Baker was "gored in his legs and arms by the buck's antlers." Baker suffered bruising and cuts from the attack.

"A deer that size could do a severe amount of damage," explained Walker.

Baker has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

According to the report given to authorities by Tammy Baker, the attack stopped only after she was able to grab a pistol and shoot the deer.

The deer died after being shot.

Walker said the deer's brain was tested for rabies, but testing showed the deer was not rabid.

Walker says the family had raised the deer from a fawn when it was found orphaned four years prior near a stream. Walker said the buck was familiar with the family and frequented the property during that time.

"Typically, the reason behind an attack like this is either that the deer was diseased or rabid, or because it has been habituated to people. That seems to be the case in this instance," Walker said.

"We call wildlife animals ‘wild' or a reason," Walker said.


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