Written by: Rebecca Straits (Rjs006@marietta.edu)
Seeped into the history and culture of the Appalachian region are urban legends of many strange
and startling creatures. From tales of moth men in Point Pleasant and aliens in the Tygart Valley, some cryptids seem farfetched. However, here on the Marietta College campus, one legend seems to be more fact than fiction.
The rightfully named “Not” Deer is a Deer-like creature who is just off enough in appearance and behavior to be identifiable as something other than those cute, skittish animals most have grown to love. This creature has been the talk of the town as many sightings have been reported over the course of the semester.
Here is what one student, Junior Natalie Murphy, had to say about the recent sightings on campus:
“Oh, yeah, I was leaving Gilman when I saw that pack of deer that’s always on campus. I had a little bit of my asiago bagel left, so I went up and fed one of them, and it got on its back legs, bowed its head at me and walked off into that wooded area between McCoy and the DBRC.”
Though Murphy’s experience with the “Not” Deer was pleasant, not everyone could say the same,
with one student sharing a frightening encounter he saw on his way to class one afternoon:
“I think I saw one of them standing on its hind legs chasing some girl from McDonough to Dorothy Webster,” says sophomore Tomás Mateo, adding, “Yeah, haven’t had any personal experiences with the deer on campus, but if I happen to see a deer around here, I just leave it alone, there’s something off about them, especially that tall one.”
“It chased me from McDonough to Dorothy Webster!” stated transfer student Isabel Sinclair, “It started when one of the deer that stocks the campus approached me. I thought it might have smelled my Cinco, so I just ignored it, but then it growled at me, got on its hind legs, and death glared me. Then it chased me across campus! I keep seeing it outside my bedroom window, but I’m on the third floor!”
Though there are some mixed experiences with the deer on campus, local authorities have stated that the deer are not a threat to students. MCPD’s best advice is to just ignore them and to remember to have a happy Halloween.
Edited by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
