Furry phenomenon occurring on campus as deer find way here
By GAVIN MENDOZA, Senior Reporter
Deer have been spotted on the Northwestern campus, which some people say is a common occurrence while others say the animals are a rare sight.
Alva is home to many forms of wildlife, including deer, which travel into and around town throughout the year. The open plains and fields nearby give the deer places to roam freely until they make their way to Alva.
Northwestern Police Chief Cole Servis said seeing deer on campus is more common than one might think.
“I mostly see the deer crossing the road in between the Jiffy Trip and the elementary school,” Servis said. Servis said he does not believe the deer cause harm to the campus, and he is not surprised the deer are everywhere.
“It is not unusual to see deer around town and campus, at least for me, because of where we live and the time of the year,” Servis said.
Northwestern President Dr. Janet Cunningham has seen the deer walking around campus.
“We looked out that east door of the president’s house right in front of Ryerson Hall, and there were a bunch gathered,” Cunningham said.
She said the deer may have chosen that spot to walk around and rest because there were flowers planted, which the deer enjoyed eating.
“It looked kind of like a very idyllic setting,” Cunningham said.
She pointed out the deer only came out at night. The first time she and her husband saw them was around 1 a.m. The next few times would be in the night, with the earliest sighting being around 9 p.m.
“I look at as more of a positive thing because it’s just kind of neat to see nature on campus,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham did say she hopes the deer are safe because of the large amount of traffic on the highway nearby.
“For students’ safety, just be aware that there are some deer around campus, and if you’re driving, to be sure that you’re watching because they can certainly wreak havoc on a vehicle,” Cunningham said.
Jose Rubalcava, a junior Business Administration major from Tolleson, Arizona, said he has seen deer during his time on campus, but hasn’t seen them recently.
“My freshman year, I saw them a lot when I would drive up to the baseball field and around the Ament dorm,” Rubalcava said. “November through January is when I saw them the most, and I hope to see some this year.”
