Grandma mauled to death by deer she rescued — but controversy explodes over killer buck
Jodi Proger, 64, was killed by a deer she was attempting to rehabilitate on Nov. 15, pictured with her beloved Wheezer. JodiWheezer Proger/ Facebook
An Ohio woman known for dedicating more than a decade to rescuing and rehabilitating injured deer was killed after being trapped inside an enclosure with one of the animals on her Stewartsville property — and confusion over which buck was responsible has sparked heated debate online.
Jodi Proger, 64, had spent the past 12 years caring for whitetail deer on her five-acre homestead roughly two hours south of Akron. According to WSYX, she was fatally injured on Nov. 15 after a buck attacked her inside an enclosure. Belmont County officers, encountering an aggressive deer blocking access to her, were forced to shoot the animal before reaching her. Proger was pronounced dead at the scene; officials have not released details about her injuries.
Proger’s passion for rescue work began in 2013, when she witnessed a doe struck and killed on an Ohio highway and found its newborn fawn circling the body. She turned around, scooped up the days-old baby—later named Wheezer—and raised him herself. Two years later, she fought to keep Wheezer after a complaint to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which initially sought to seize and euthanize the animal. She ultimately obtained a permit and expanded her efforts to care for other deer in need.
Over the years, Proger shared frequent glimpses of her life with Wheezer and her other rescued deer on social media. Photos show the buck lounging indoors like a house pet, wearing matching holiday outfits with Proger, and even accepting food directly from her mouth. Wheezer, pictured recently with sizable six-point antlers, was one of several deer she cared for, including multiple does and bucks she brought home in the past year.
Her grandchildren also appeared in photos alongside the animals, including one image of a young granddaughter placing a gentle kiss on a wild deer’s shoulder.
Following speculation online that Wheezer may have been the deer involved in her death, Proger’s daughter, Jennifer Bryan, publicly pushed back.
“Wheezer DID NOT kill my mom,” Bryan wrote in a statement on Facebook. She noted that Wheezer had been neutered as a condition of Proger’s permit—a procedure that typically reduces aggressive behavior in male deer. Bryan added that her mother was fully licensed, experienced, and well aware of the risks involved in caring for wild animals.
“My mom knew the dangers of owning deer,” she wrote. “She worked within Belmont County to rescue and aid many animals over her lifespan. This is a sad tragedy and we deserve RESPECT and time to grieve.”
Both the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Department of Agriculture are investigating the incident, according to WSYX. The Belmont County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Deer remain the deadliest animal in the United States, largely due to vehicle collisions, which account for about 440 deaths each year and over 96% of all wildlife-related fatalities, according to the Washington Post.
About Post Author
