A man in his late 60s suffered two fractured ribs following an encounter with a wild stag at a popular nature spot in the UK. Rod Savage, 67, described how he defensively reacted to the animal’s attack while strolling through Tatton Park in Cheshire with his friend Danny McNicholl. The stag, appearing suddenly just 300 yards from the park entrance, charged at Rod around 5 pm on a Tuesday, leaving him with an injury resembling a knife wound. Fortunately, Danny managed to divert the stag’s attention using a branch.
Recalling the intense moment, Rod shared, “The stag and I locked eyes, and I realized the imminent danger of its antlers. It felt like a scene from an old western movie, and I knew it wouldn’t end well. The next thing I knew, it charged at me, lifting me off the ground and knocking me down. I instinctively curled up and pretended to be lifeless.”
Rod, with assistance from Danny, made his way back to the park entrance, where the park rangers provided immediate aid. He was subsequently taken to Macclesfield Hospital, where medical staff were concerned about potential internal organ damage from the attack but fortunately, Rod’s injuries were not severe.
The hospital scan revealed two broken ribs, prompting doctors to consider surgery; however, after cleaning and stitching the wound under local anesthesia, Rod was discharged the next day. The stag’s heightened aggression was attributed to the mating season approaching and the hot summer conditions.
Rod, an employee at the green energy firm Altilium Clean Technology, highlighted the scarcity of food due to dry weather conditions, leading stags to forage aggressively. He cautioned park visitors, especially families, to be cautious of the deer’s behavior and stick to designated paths to avoid similar incidents.
Rod, who is about to become a grandfather again, humorously mentioned how his stag encounter would be a tale for his future grandchild. Tatton Park officials urged visitors to maintain a safe distance from deer and avoid feeding or touching them, particularly during the rutting season from September to November.