Unexpected Visitor: Deer Spotted Roaming Amarillo Neighborhood Far from Wildlife Areas

It's fascinating how many wild animals roam the neighborhoods within the city limits of Amarillo.

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Most of the wildlife roaming in Amarillo neighborhoods are foxes, raccoons, opossums, and occasionally coyotes. It's a rare occasion when wildlife other than those roams the streets.

Unexpected Visitor

The last thing you would expect to see in your neighborhood unless you live in an area with a lot of wildlife, is a deer.   That is exactly what happened to residents in the Western Plateau area.  A deer was hanging out in the neighborhood on August 1st.

The deer was spotted on Shawnee and 57th at 7:30 am, but it was seen on Teckla around 5 am. It's mind boggling to think how far this deer traveled to make it into this neighborhood.

Seeing wildlife in this area tells us that the area where these animals once lived is shrinking.  Just look at all the construction outside the city limits, more homes and businesses are now being built in areas where wildlife made their home.  This limits their food and water, and eventually, they end up in the city limits searching for these things.

What happens if you see a deer in your neighborhood?

It's best to leave deer alone and let them be unless they are injured. Deer startle easily and their instinct is to run. If they are in a neighborhood, they might dart into a busy street and get hit by a car or injure themselves while trying to escape. It's more likely that they will wait until it's calm and quiet before finding their way back home.

If you find an injured deer or other wildlife you can always reach out to Wild West Wildlife Rehabilititation Center.  If a wild animal is being a nuisance to your neighborhood you can reach out to your local game warden in Potter County or Randall County or the Animal Management and Welfare.