When people think of deer, often car damage, hunting and a (slightly scarring) Disney film come to mind. While deer are considered “innocent creatures of nature,” people often have mixed feelings about them, as they tend to bring out fear in drivers, a killer instinct in hunters and joy/sadness in children (“Bambi,” anyone?). That was, until, Twitter sensation “Brother Nature” entered the scene, and proved that deer are more than just friendly (or unfriendly, depending on your take) forest critters.
At just 20 years old, Kelvin Peña, aka “Brother Nature,” has become an advocate for does and a Twitter sensation. His videos receive millions of views, are roughly a minute long and follow Kelvin as he interacts with the wildlife that surrounds him. While deer are definitely the most popular animal featured in his feed, he’s also acquainted with camels, goats and an ostrich. (And they’re all lovingly named, of course.)
But many of you are probably wondering how @COLDGAMEKELV has made a name for himself on social media at such a young age, and in such a short period of time. Or maybe you’re wondering how he knew Twitter users would be so enamored by the animals we encounter in our everyday lives.
If I’m being honest, I still haven’t found the answer, and I’ve been following him for over four months.
That being said, Peña has been making “doe” videos since 2016, when he was just 18 years old. Even then he received positive feedback from YouTubers, as he became a Twitter phenomenon only recently. But, before I delve any further into the deer man’s social media timeline, I’ll describe what you typically find in a video from Peña and his “deer squad.”
1. The deer squad itself.
It all began with a lone female deer named Canela, and she has been featured in countless videos made by @COLDGAMEKELV. In fact, fans often refer to her as the OG. Since his YouTube debut in 2016, Peña has befriended numerous does, including Tay Tay (perhaps the most famous deer on the internet right now), Nancy and Francesca.
Most of these deer have since had babies and Peña has taken it upon himself to become a father figure for them. Don’t believe me? Check out his Father’s Day video on Twitter.
2. Food.
Most of Brother Nature’s videos feature deer feedings and include the saying “everybody eats.” He doesn’t only feed them scraps, either. Nine times out of 10, Peña will purchase organic fruits and vegetables from the grocery store, all to feed his entire deer squad.
It also seems like each doe has a fruit/vegetable of choice, as Canela “luhs” apples and Tay Tay is typically shown eating grapes. (All aside from his first EVER YouTube video, when he fed the deer squad powdered donuts.)
3. Fly Whips.
From BMWs to Mazeratis, @COLDGAMEKELV is always whipping around in some type of luxury vehicle. However, that doesn’t mean deer are afraid to “roll up” on him. Honestly, it seems like deer get even more bold when Peña ’s white BMW approaches, as they know he’ll come prepared with all sorts of (usually healthy) treats.
They’ll even stick their heads through his car window, anxiously searching for a bag of organic carrots. In fact, there’s a video of Canela drooling over the leather seats of Brother Nature’s Mazerati … It’s a good thing he’s forgiving.
4. Bumpin’ music.
This is how you feed a baby goat pic.twitter.com/DcPVH40Fvl
— Brother Nature (@BrotherNature) August 14, 2018
At the end of almost every Brother Nature video, he and the deer squad “turn up.” In other words, he blasts rap music from his “fly whip” and tears it up with his does. That being said, the high volume of his music tends to scare the deer squad, as only a select few sticking around to jam with Peña .
However, that doesn’t mean other animals don’t “turn up” with @COLDGAMEKELV — Felicia the Ostrich finna jam whenever Peña visits the drive-thru safari.
5. Other forms of wildlife.
As mentioned before, Peña’s interaction with animals isn’t limited to the deer squad. He also tames hawks, owns goats and pays an occasional visit to the bear park. Although his “does” are the most prevalent animal featured on his Twitter feed and YouTube channel, Brother Nature is acquainted with all types of, well, nature.
Each animal has also been lovingly named, which makes his videos that much more comical and heart-warming. What, have you never met a bear named Anthony?
What blows my mind is how animals, even those as fidgety as deer, willingly approach Peña. Sure, he typically lures them with fruit and vegetables, but they’ll come up to his car without the slightest bit of fear, even if they aren’t 100 percent sure he’s supplying them with food. All I’m saying is, you have to be pretty special and gentle for a deer to be comfortable in your presence.
In his first video “Money and the deer squad,” viewers met Money, Canela, Lola and Bambi. Of the four, Bambi was the only deer slightly fearful of Peña, as he wouldn’t come near Brother Nature for a powdered donut. (Remember, this is before he made the switch to fruits and vegetables.) Much like the rest of his does, Bambi definitely warmed up to Peña, even if it was for the sake of free food. I don’t know about you, but a deer won’t even look my way, let alone let me feed it by hand.
In all honesty, I think @COLDGAMEKELV started his YouTube channel to prove that he actually has a deer squad. In one of his first videos, “My son money came thru,” he says (to Money) “People thought you was a myth, bro, people thought you wasn’t actually out here.” Well, as shown by his 800,000 Twitter followers, he’s definitely convinced people that Money and the rest of the deer squad are far from fiction.
Brother Nature’s attempt to prove himself to others caused him to become a media sensation, and gave him countless opportunities. Since his YouTube debut, Peña has participated in radio interviews, started his own clothing line and has even received an Uber endorsement. While @COLDGAMEKELV is a godsend to the deer squad, it sure seems like they’re returning the favor — who needs friends when you have does, am I right?
