Maybe the little guy just wanted to come in for a toy.

In any case, Jill White didn't believe her ears when a customer told her that a young deer came inside her Government Street toy store at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

"Because they weren't from around here, maybe they thought it was a deer but it was actually just a big dog," said White, recalling her thoughts of the incident.

"Suddenly this deer just jumps out at me and I'm like, 'oh my gosh!' and I screamed, of course," said the employee at Kaboodles Toy Store near Johnson Street.

The deer then leapt into the back room leaving a small trail of blood.

Although the manager tried to close the door to contain it, the animal burst through. It circled the narrow aisles several times before leaving the store, sending yo-yos and other toys flying.

"Of course the children and everyone around was screaming and scared and made the deer scream," White said, pointing to the marks on the floor made by the deer's hoofs.

For the Victoria police, the deer hunt started at 9:30 a.m. when the wild animal was hit by a car by 1810 Blanshard St.

When officers arrived, the deer was grazing on some nearby grass, but bolted when approached.

After making an appearance at Kaboodles, the deer was later spotted at Centennial Square and the Johnson Street Bridge, said Sgt. Grant Hamilton.

Police are advising the public not to approach the deer.

"Let it be, it's probably scared," Hamilton said.

Conservation officer Peter Pauwels said the last deer spotted in the downtown core was two years ago when people reported seeing one running along Pandora Avenue.

"It's not really a great place for a deer to be," Pauwels said. "Hopefully it finds its way out on its own."

rholmen@saanichnews.com