Deer – Page 5 – Syndication Server

One shot from a game warden’s revolver saves two deer

Two deer were struggling to free their antlers that had become tangled, prompting a game warden to intervene, as seen in body camera footage.

A bow hunter in Kansas spotted two whitetail deer that were struggling to free their antlers that had become tangled. He called a game warden and two arrived at the scene in Jackson County.

They searched the area until locating the two bucks.

“At the time, the wardens didn’t know how long the bucks had been struggling to free themselves, but quickly observed that the deer had enough energy and wariness remaining to make approaching them difficult and potentially dangerous,” the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Facebook page reported.

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“However, the wardens were determined to do their best to save them from an excruciating death.”

One game warden wearing a body camera videotaped how they saved both deer, and it was posted on the Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Facebook page. The main action starts at the 3:00 mark.

A game warden managed to put a towel over the heads of the deer and they finally froze in place, prompting game warden Jeff Clouser to say, “I got a good shot at the beam right now.”

Clouser took aim and fired a shot at the antler. He hit his mark, the deer leaped up and ran off in different directions, a job well done.

“It’s not uncommon for bucks to get tangled up when they fight, but they usually free themselves,” Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Capt. Larry Hastings told the Kansas City Star.

“We have had several of our game wardens shoot the antlers to break them apart when they can’t free themselves.”

The antlers eventually grow back.

Generic photo of two bucks courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Photo of tangled bucks courtesy of Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.

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Men risk dangerously thin ice to rescue helpless fawn

Watch: Two men threw caution to the wind to rescue a young deer lying on the dangerously thin ice of a Utah lake.

Two men were fishing Panguitch Lake in Utah and noticed a fawn lying on the dangerously thin ice struggling unsuccessfully to get its footing. So, they threw caution to the wind and decided to rescue the helpless deer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2NcNS5QpDU

“We knew the ice was thin but decided to chance it anyway,” Bransen Jackson wrote in the video description. “We walked over nice and slow so we didn’t scare or frighten it any more. I picked up the deer and gently walked it over to the shore and released it.”

Upon setting hooves on firm ground, the deer scrambled up the hillside no worse for wear.

And, luckily, the man shooting the video survived a near fall when he slipped on the ice as they approached the shore.

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No word how the fishermen did fishing that recent day at the lake that features some of the state’s largest rainbow trout.

Hunters face charges after illegal killing of albino deer

Three Maryland hunters have been charged with the illegal hunting of deer, including an albino deer that was shot from the rear seat of a vehicle.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, after concluding its investigation, identified the suspects as Jeremy Hoalcraft, 18, of Oakland; David Georg, 29, of Swanton, and Jordan Dawson, 22, of Deer Park.

The men are charged with killing multiple deer in Garrett County in November and early December. But at the center of the investigation was the shooting of an antlerless albino deer from a vehicle in a private field and leaving the carcass to waste.

In a news release issued Thursday, the MDNR stated that the suspects admitted to police that they were searching for deer near Blakeslee when they spotted the albino deer.

“Hoalcraft then used a rifle to shoot the albino deer from the rear seat of the vehicle,” the MDNR stated. “The albino deer reportedly ran a few feet before it fell and died.”

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Hoalcraft then passed the rifle to Dawson, who fired at other deer. The men drove away, leaving the deer to waste.

It turned out that Dawson’s hunting privileges had already been revoked because of a previous conviction; he was banned from possessing guns and ammunition.

The MDNR described the charges in the news release:

Dawson was charged with hunting antlerless deer during closed season, hunting from a vehicle, loaded weapon in a vehicle, hunting without written permission, driving without a license, driving while suspended, driving while revoked, possession of a rifle after conviction of a disqualifying crime, and illegal possession of ammunition. He faces up to $10,500 in fines and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date.
Hoalcraft was charged with hunting antlerless deer during closed season, hunting from a vehicle, possession of a loaded weapon in a vehicle, hunting without written permission, and removal of deer parts prior to reporting the harvest to the Department. He faces up to $7,500 in fines.
Georg was charged with aid-and-abet hunting deer during closed season, aid-and-abet hunting from vehicle, and hunting without written permission. He faces up to $4,500 in fines.

–Albino deer image is generic, courtesy of Grayson Smith/USFWS; second image shows Maryland DLNR police

Deer snatches hunter’s rifle, prompting search for weapon

Police in Czechoslovakia are asking the public to be on the lookout for a deer carrying a rifle – which the animal inadvertently stole from a hunter.

“If anyone finds the weapon, they are obliged to hand it over to the nearest police department,” Police of the Czech Republic stated in a news release.

The agency reported that last Friday “an older hunter” was with other hunters in the forest near Horní Planá in the South Bohemian region, when a hunting dog startled a deer.

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The deer charged toward and past the hunter, but not before its antlers tore the man’s sleeve and caught the strap of his .22-caliber rifle, tearing the weapon from his grip.

According to Police of the Czech Republic, another hunter later reported seeing a deer with a rifle dangling from its antlers about a mile away.

“The hunters, of course, searched the forest, but did not find a weapon,” Police of the Czech Republic stated. “The hunters had no choice but to report everything to the police.”

Thankfully, the agency added, the man who lost his rifle to the deer claimed that the weapon was not loaded.

–Deer image is generic

Rare white deer spotted in Wisconsin; can it be hunted?

A rare white deer was photographed in Wisconsin days before Saturday’s start of the gun deer-hunting season, which caused some to become concerned.

A rare white deer was photographed in northern Wisconsin just days before Saturday’s start of hunting season, which caused some to become concerned about the animal’s welfare.

Tracy Weese captured the image and it was shared to Facebook last Tuesday by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office.

“An incredible sight to see here in Vilas County, a beautiful albino buck!” the agency wrote. “This majestic creature was spotted in the greater Boulder Junction area.”

One of the top comments reads, “It is truly magnificent to see. I would hope any hunter seeing this would NOT shoot it. It is so much more beautiful alive than on your wall.”

https://www.facebook.com/VilasCountySO/posts/2721769924741678

The gun hunting season for whitetail deer opened Saturday and runs through Nov. 29. Several comments on the Sheriff’s Office post were in reference to hunting and whether this buck is fair game.

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While Wisconsin does not allow the harvesting of true albino or leucistic deer (all white but without pink eyes), a few comments pertained to brown markings on a hind leg and the head of the buck in the photo.

Despite those markings, the deer in the photo is protected, Sarah Hoye, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, told FTW Outdoors.

Hoye provided the state regulation: “Albino and white deer which have a coat of all white hair except that the hair on the tarsal glands, head or parts of the head may be a color other than white [are protected]. “White hair that has been discolored or stained by blood, soil or similar materials shall continue to be considered white hair.”

Tarsal glands are located on the inside of a deer’s hind legs and the coloration on the deer in the photo is likely caused by staining from those glands. The faint brown markings on the buck’s head might have been dirt or dried blood from the deer rubbing velvet off its antlers.

In any case, the deer is off-limits, but that does not necessarily mean it is safe.

Last year in Wisconsin, a hunter shot and killed an albino deer and subsequently turned himself in, claiming that he had fired after seeing only the brown of the deer’s head, before realizing the rest of the animal was white.

The hunting website, Wide Open Spaces, found fault with the hunter’s reasoning and added: “The remains of this deer were sent to a local taxidermist to be put on display to help other local hunters understand the difference between and albino and typical whitetail deer.”

–Image courtesy of Tracy Weese

Friendly deer at Michigan golf course turns putt into Disney princess moment

PGA pro Jason Dudzinski and his fiancee, Katie, were playing a round of golf in Michigan when a young buck wandered right onto the course.

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It was a Snow White moment.

You know, the one where the Disney princess is in the forest and a deer fawn adorably nuzzles her.

Oakland County real estate agent Katie Nolff was golfing Sunday with her fiancée, a PGA pro, at Indian Springs Metropark in White Lake when, in an 11-second video, a young buck sauntered onto the green and interrupted her putt.

She pauses, puts out her hand, which the deer sniffs, giggles and steps away. She says to the deer: “Your horns are a little nerve-racking.” And then she sinks ball in the hole.

Amid all this, an off camera voice says: “Make the putt!”

The video, which Nolff posted on Facebook with the comment “Secretly Snow White #wtfjusthappened #golf #nature ❤️ 🦌,” is now making its way around social media and on local and national news.

WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) broadcasters called it “an up-close encounter with a deer.”

Nolff, in another Facebook post of the the same video clip being aired on ESPN, added: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever make it on ESPN playing golf. ESPN! What in the world is happening 🤯 #ESPN @ESPN 🍌 @jaydudz_golf 📸”

What’s up with Oregon deer becoming aggressive?

Residents in parts of Oregon are being warned to keep their distance from deer after numerous reports about the animals becoming aggressive.

Residents in parts of Oregon are being warned to keep their distance from deer after numerous reports surfaced about the animals becoming aggressive, with one killing a dog and another attacking a woman walking her dog.

A total of 15 reports of aggressive deer have been reported since June and mostly since June 14, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported Wednesday.

The dog was killed by a doe in a yard in Medford. The woman who was attacked was walking her dog in Ashland. Reports have also come from Jacksonville.

“People in Ashland tolerate deer eating their landscaping because they love having them around, until they start to get aggressive like they are now,” Matthew Vargas, assistant district wildlife biologist, said in a statement. “The best way to keep them away is to not feed them. You can also spray a garden hose at them if they are in your yard—any kind of hazing that doesn’t actually harm them.

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“Dogs can also spark aggression, especially in does caring for fawns. Dog owners might consider not walking their dog in areas where these deer problems are happening, at least for a few weeks, until fawns become more mobile and does less protective.”

This is the time of year when black-tailed deer are raising their fawns and will protect them against dogs and other perceived threats, wildlife officials said.

“Bucks are more likely to be aggressive during the rut in October-November, but can exhibit this behavior all year when they are being fed,” ODFW stated. “Most recent complaints about aggressive deer involve does, but one report was about an aggressive buck.”

The ODFW offered these recommendations:

Don’t approach deer. Keep your distance from them.

Keep dogs on a leash.

Don’t pick up fawns or get near them. Does are protective of fawns, and may also leave them alone for periods to go off and forage on their own.

Don’t feed wildlife. It habituates them to people which makes them less afraid and more aggressive.

Stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk. Be aware of your surroundings and areas where deer may be.

Photos courtesy of the ODFW.

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Poacher of trophy deer faces felony, big fine by less than an inch

A man in Utah was charged with a felony for illegally killing a deer, whose antler spread measurement made a huge difference in restitution.

A 29-year-old man was charged with a felony after he was discovered having illegally killed a mule deer whose antler spread was a half-inch longer than the minimum length used for restitution for a Utah trophy deer.

In the Fifth District Court in Salt Lake City, Ethan Lebaron was charged with wanton destruction of protected wildlife by using spotlights at night to kill the deer, in this case a third-degree felony. He was also charged with a tagging requirement violation, a class B misdemeanor, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced. Charges are still being considered for the two men who were with Lebaron.

A preliminary hearing for Lebaron is scheduled for March 24. His initial court appearance was Feb 4.

A buck whose antler spread measures 24 inches or more makes it a trophy and illegally killing one a felony-level offense. It calls for a minimum restitution of $8,000. Lebaron’s deer measured 24.5 inches. Had it been under 24 inches, it would have been a Class A misdemeanor and the restitution would have been a minimum of $400.

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“Because Utahans value wildlife so highly, convicted poachers face steep consequences,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources states on its website. “In addition to paying fines and restitution, poachers may also face jail time, the confiscation of hunting equipment and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges in multiple states.”

Lebaron was discovered by conservation officers using archery equipment and a spotlight to shoot and kill a buck deer near Quichapa Canyon in Iron County at around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20.

A witness had called the UTIP hotline to report seeing spotlights in the dark because it was archery deer hunting season and the witness worried illegal hunting was occurring. Hunting deer at night is illegal, as is wasting game.

Two conservation officers arrived on scene and found three men and the dead deer. Because the animal had not been field dressed, the meat had spoiled and was unable to be donated.

Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

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Hunter confesses in case of mistaken identify

A hunter in Wisconsin made a potential $6,000 mistake when she believed she was shooting at a deer and wound up killing two elk instead. Salina Ann Beltran of Mukwonago was hunting from a tree stand on private property in Rusk County last month as …

A hunter in Wisconsin made a potential $6,000 mistake when she believed she was shooting at a deer and wound up killing two elk instead.

Salina Ann Beltran of Mukwonago was hunting from a tree stand on private property in Rusk County last month as her fiancé hunted elsewhere on the property, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Ladysmith News reported Friday.

Beltran, 41, spotted what she thought was a buck deer walking towards her, telling wardens “I saw it was a fork antlered and its head was down.”

When the animal turned broadside, she fired a shot. The animal didn’t react, so she fired twice more, prompting the animal to turn back and disappear from sight. Moments later, she looked through her rifle scope and an animal came into view.

“All I saw was the body and it looked like the same animal,” Beltran said in the warden reports. She took four more shots.

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After waiting 45 minutes, she began the process of tracking the animal and came upon a fork-horn bull elk and then noticed a spike elk laying about 40 yards away. She immediately recognized her errors and called in her fiancé Jeff Anderson, also of Mukwonago.

They went to the Department of Natural Resources service center in Ladysmith and filed a report about the mistakes.

Court records showed that Beltran was issued a $6,152.50 citation for hunting elk during closed season, a non-traffic ordinance violation, the Journal Sentinel reported. She is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 14.

The report stated that Beltran and Anderson were in tears upon leaving the DNR office.

Fortunately, the animals did not go to waste. One elk was donated to the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission for distribution to tribal members in northern Wisconsin. The other was butchered locally and distributed to food pantries.

While there has been other incidents where hunters have mistakenly shot elk in Wisconsin, this is the first time a hunter has mistakenly shot two elk.

DNR chief conservation warden Todd Schaller told the Journal Sentinel the incident highlights two points about hunting and safety.

“The first is to be sure of your target and what’s beyond,” he said. “The other is, if you make a mistake, be honest and contact the department.”

Photo of an elk courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

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Plea issued after deer becomes entangled in Christmas lights

An animal care facility in California is asking people to keep wildlife in mind while decorating their homes for the holidays.

The plea was issued Monday after an Animal Services Officer with Marin Humane responded to reports of a deer that had become become entangled in Christmas lights in the Marin County town of San Anselmo.

Jessica Needham of the nonprofit was not able to free the buck of its burden, but did take photographs to illustrate the extent of the entanglement.

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“Catching deer is extremely difficult and catching a buck is even trickier,” Marin Humane announced in a statement. “Our officers would have to use a control pole to get a handle on him, which leaves them open to the risk of being charged and injured. Luckily, this guy is still able to graze and run just fine.”

The group stated that it’ll continue to “monitor the situation” and expressed hope that the buck will become free of the lights when he sheds his antlers during the winter.

Lisa Bloch, a Marin Humane spokeswoman, told the San Jose Mercury News that the Christmas lights were likely strewn loosely around bushes or between trees in the rural neighborhood, “and the deer just walked into them.”

The group, which is not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement:

“This serves as a good reminder that when hanging holiday decorations, make sure they’re secure and high enough where they’re less likely to be an issue for wildlife.

“We’re lucky to share our space with so many animals so let’s be mindful of their safety, even when we’re getting festive!”

–Images courtesy of Jessica Needham/Marin Humane