A man has been killed and a woman injured following an attack by a captive deer at Moyhu, South of Wangaratta in Victoria' North East. 

The incident happened at around 8.20 am this morning (17 April) and Police are investigating. 

The Australian Deer Association (ADA) understands that the family had kept the animal as a pet for a number of years. 

It is unusual, but not unheard of, for captive deer to attack humans, particularly during the Autumn mating season.

Deer are instinctively a flight animal and their behaviour in captivity, where there is no clear path of escape and where they have a diminished fear of humans, is considerably different to that in the wild. 

ADA representatives have fielded a number of inquiries from the media on this topic, including this interview on 3AW radio. 

(Image - ABC News)