Tourists were warned not to feed stags chocolate digestive biscuits after one went on the rampage- amid claims drunk visitors have tried to feed the animals Whisky.
Herds of deer have long been a source of fascination to visitors to Glencoe, Scottish Highlands, with motorists stopping to snap pictures.
The nearby Kingshouse Hotel has posted a message online warning guests not to feed the deer by hand, and not to leave crisps, chips, chocolate and processed food for the animals.
But concerned onlooker Maggie Harrison claims she saw one man 'waving a packet of chocolate digestives' at the herd gathered in a hotel car park - provoking one stag to charge.
She said it was 'nothing short of a miracle no-one was hurt' - while a tour guide also alleged that a drunk punter had tried to force feed a wild stag whisky.
Ms Harrison said: "This stag was approaching every car and person on the hunt for food and although thankfully it seemed most people were just happy to get a pic, there was one person who stupidly produced a pack of chocolate digestives and started waving them around the stag.
"When he got the stag's notice it charged at them head down full on - nothing short of a miracle that no one was hurt.
"These deer are not tame, it doesn't matter how close they get or how much they shove their heads through your car window - these are wild animals.
"They don't need your food.
"If winter conditions are that bad then the keepers will come down and feed them.
"Don't try and pat or stroke them. Don't even think about trying to get a selfie."
And tour guide Andrew McKenzie, owner of Highland Historian tours, wrote an open letter to the management of the hotel urging for action to be taken.
He wrote: "For those who are not aware, my view on this is that the deer herd from Etive and the southern end of Glencoe which regularly gather in the Kingshouse car park are often interacted with by visitors.
"This ranges from photos from a distance which is great, to photos with the deer which is less-great, to stroking which is too much interaction, to feeding which is completely wrong for guests to be doing.
"It is not a new issue, but it is developing rapidly with increased footfall.
"I have personally watched as people have fed crisps, peanuts, chocolate digestives, oranges and Kit-Kats (other brands of chocolate biscuit are available) to the enthusiastic deer.
"A young stag ran into my tent in 2009 by the stream when an inebriated member of a party camping close by tried to make it drink whisky at 5am.
"Explaining the implications of these actions to one person is one-thing but it will (and does) occur again and again unless something more substantial is done."
Kingshouse Hotel has been contacted for a comment.
