I've always wanted to get into the mind of a buck after such an incident.

Does he get the big head thinking he killed his rival and is now ready to take on anyone at anytime in the woods, or does he associate fighting with "near death" and runs to the "back 40" atthe sight of even the wimpiest deer in the woods?

I know, they don't rationalize and think like we do, so it probably doesn't even register, but I've still wondered such a thing in a humorous, light hearted kinda way.