A 67-year-old grandfather suffered two broken ribs and a deep puncture wound to his abdomen after a stag charged him while he was walking through Tatton Park in Cheshire, police and park officials said.
Rod Savage was walking with a friend at about 5 p.m. last Tuesday when the animal, less than 300 metres from the park entrance, locked eyes with him and suddenly charged, he said. The stag struck Mr. Savage and punctured the left side of his stomach before he was able to move away.
Mr. Savage said he curled up to protect himself and “played dead” as his friend, Danny McNicholl, distracted the animal by throwing a branch. He said rangers at Tatton Park provided first aid at the scene before he was taken to Macclesfield Hospital. Doctors feared the attack might have pierced a vital organ but a scan showed two broken ribs and no major internal injury, and he was discharged the following day after the wound was cleaned and stitched under local anaesthetic.
“It felt like being hit by a car with antlers on the front,” Mr. Savage said. He described the wound as a “very deep knife-like wound” and said he felt “very lucky” that no major organ was pierced. He praised his friend’s quick thinking and the response by park staff.
Tatton Park officials reminded visitors that deer are wild animals and can be unpredictable. A park spokesperson said visitors should stay at least 50 metres away from deer, should not try to touch or feed them and should heed warning signs. The spokesperson noted that the autumn rut, which runs from September through November, can make stags particularly aggressive.
Mr. Savage said recent dry weather had reduced available grazing and that acorns were falling early from trees, which he suggested may have contributed to unusual deer behaviour in parts of the park. He urged visitors to “stick to the road” and be cautious, particularly around families with children.
Hospital staff at Macclesfield said they had not encountered an injury of this kind often, and Mr. Savage was kept overnight for observation before being released. He works for Altilium Clean Technology and said his daughter is expecting her second child soon.
Tatton Park is a well-known public park and deer reserve in Cheshire. Officials and wildlife experts routinely warn that rutting season increases the risk of aggressive encounters as stags compete with rivals and become more territorial. Visitors are advised to keep a safe distance, supervise children closely and follow park guidance to reduce the risk of incidents.