A peaceful morning walk turned into an adrenaline-fueled scuffle when Shelly Webb encountered an aggressive female deer while walking her dogs in her Port Townsend neighborhood on Sept. 4.

“I went out on my morning walk,” Webb said. “And as I approached Karen Anderson’s home, a doe stepped out from alongside the Mugo Pine along her driveway. Its head was held high, neck ridged and legs stiff as it strutted towards me. There were two fawns behind her. I immediately started to turn away and it charged.”

Webb, 73, lives near the intersection of S and Rose streets and has for about eight or nine years. She said she’s familiar with the deer, but got more than she bargained for that morning.

“I didn’t see her until I was right on top of her,” Webb said. “I know that deer, I’ve encountered that deer numerous times in that neighborhood. Most deer avoid you, but that deer does not.”

Webb said as the doe drew close, one of her dogs bolted and mayhem ensued.

“I tripped on his leash, falling to my knees, then to my face, releasing the dogs to run away,” Webb said. “I looked up over my shoulder and she was within three feet. The deer quickly continued to advance on me as I rolled away several times, screaming and grabbing handfuls of gravel out of the potholes and throwing it at the deer. It was within three feet of me when I finally connected with a handful of gravel.  It swung its head up, saw my elderly 10-pound dog and charged over to and over the top of her.  At that point my larger, 25-pound dog, charged by and the race was on.”

Webb said the deer chased her larger dog through the neighborhood. When a neighbor came out to see what was happening, Webb said, the deer went for her too.

“Other people in this area have encountered this particular deer and are quite wary of it,” Webb said. “Its aggressive behavior has increased over the past few years.”

Webb said she suffered scraped knees and bruises, and although she wasn’t badly injured, was left feeling shaken and wary.

Webb said that feeding deer is one of the biggest contributors to aggressive deer behavior, yet people do it anyway, despite city codes and regulations to the contrary.

“Deer are not afraid because of the way we interact with them,” Webb said. “It’s our fault. It’s our fault as a society.”

Webb said, upon the recommendation of fish and wildlife officials, she now carries bear spray.

State wildlife managers discourage people from feeding deer for a variety of reasons —health and safety, for deer and humans, chief among them.

“When wildlife congregate, that can cause diseases to spread,” said Matt Blankenship, assistant regional wildlife program manager for Region 6. State wildlife managers have also linked deer feeding to increases in negative human-wildlife interactions, including aggression toward people and pets.