O Deer!

This is a muntjac deer that is an inhabitant of the woodlands near the house and around this area. These are much smaller than regular deer which is why I was very confused when I kept seeing them over a period of a few days. I had thought of all the things it could be but still thought it was related to deer or in the deer family somehow. I thought it was a cross between a goat and a deer but the size of a baby deer somehow. Apparently these deer are called the "barking deer" because of the strange barking noise they make which sounds like barking and is pretty loud. I didn't hear any barking, but I did finally talk to someone who knew what these creatures were because we spotted one in the woods by the side of the house and said, "Oh, there's a muntjac deer." I was so grateful to not be going crazy seeing these things that I had also considered could be baby moose! Well, that mystery is solved. We definitely don't have muntjac deer in NJ.