VIDEO: Deer Visit Downtown

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Published on December 22 2015 9:56 am
Last Updated on December 22 2015 11:22 am
Written by Greg Sapp

A herd of deer visited downtown Effingham Tuesday morning.

Some reports indicated there were eight deer in the herd when they were spotted near the Courthouse, but there were six when they were spotted at St. Anthony Catholic Church. A 90-year-old woman who lives across from the church was having coffee with her daughter when they saw the deer run by their door. When they went outside to investigate, they spotted the deer at the church. Four of the deer fled, but two stayed with one attempting to run through a window and then fleeing.

That left one deer. This one, according to the mother and daughter, headed up the accessible ramp leading into the west door of the church and ran into the red door more than once. About that time, an elderly couple arrived for church. The man helped the lady out of the car and got out her walker. Another vehicle pulled up and someone slammed one of the doors on the vehicle. That spooked the deer, which began to run away, but then turned back and ran up the ramp again, eventually laying down. Other motion followed from others arriving for Mass, and the deer finally plucked up enough courage to make a break for freedom.

No one was injured, including the deer. The close call for the elderly lady in the church parking lot, though, prompted the 90-year-old neighbor to quip, "Grandma almost got run over by a reindeer!"

Our Facebook friend Trina captured video of the herd as they proceeded south across Fayette Avenue near Johnson's Funeral Home.

Deer in downtown Effingham!!

Posted by Trina Rothrock on Tuesday, December 22, 2015