From financial advisor to “deer whisperer”: unexpected fame

Len Smith, a resident of Austin, Texas, has adopted an unusual hobby that has catapulted him to Internet fame. With over 2 million followers on TikTok, he is known as the “Deer Whisperer.”

Smith's beginnings on TikTok were ordinary. As a father of three teenagers, he was introduced to the app, originally known as Musical.ly. “I didn’t know it would work out like it did,” admits Smith, who works as a financial advisor. Today, his kids' classmates recognize him as the famous “Deer Whisperer” on TikTok.

It all started during the pandemic

The unusual relationship with deer began during the pandemic when Smith and his wife began taking evening walks. The deer became accustomed to her presence and eventually began eating directly from Smith's hand. “They're like my pets. I feed over 70 deer now,” Smith said.

On the advice of a friend, Smith started Videos of his interactions with deer on TikTok To spread. His first video, uploaded in February 2021, showed the deer eagerly waiting for food outside his garage. It reached more than 16 million people. “They called me Snow White, Bambi Man, all that stuff,” laughs Smith.

Some of the deer have been given names and are regular stars in his videos. Buddy, Blue Bell and Sandy are just a few of the deer his followers know and love. Smith also plans to create merchandise inspired by these three deer.

900 kilos of fodder – In month

The growing popularity of deer videos has caught Smith by surprise. In addition to TikTok, his YouTube and Instagram following numbers are also growing steadily. “I think it's a combination of people thinking, 'This guy's crazy, he's letting deer into his house,'” Smith says. “It's very difficult to make deer that comfortable, but I know that's just the time I'm spending with them. I think people say, 'Oh my God, what's this guy doing?'

He adds, smiling, that the deer consumes approximately 900 kilograms of food per month. “I told my wife I needed a second job,” he joked.

Lynn Smith's extraordinary but intimate story shows that sometimes the simplest things in life can bring the greatest happiness—and sometimes unexpected fame.

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