Deer caught in fence

KubotaSteve · Oct 12, 2004

I just put up a 4 foot fence a few weeks ago to let my dog rune instead of being stuck in a small kennel and the strays out. The strays were getting too close to my daughter playing in the yard. I go out to do some work in the yard and my dog (shepherd lab mix) takes off straight to the fence to where the deer is at. As I pull up the deer is still alive but it appears the rear ankle is broken. I tried to free the deer but she was not happy and it was too dangerous. I had to put the dog back in the kennel as he was not happy the deer was in his teritory. DNR was not in yesterday or at least wouldn't answer the phone. State Police came out and tried to help me free the deer. The deer tried kicking and really damaged the ankle as it was freed. It just laid there and the officer put it down. We were hoping to get it free so it could take off but it didn't work out. The only possible good thing was it was a doe (looked like a yearling)
Sure enough, not 3 minutes after he shot the deer, a call came accross his radio for shots fired. I could understand if they saw a hunter in their front yard shooting, but as soon as they hears shots they call 911. If they would just have taken a second to see what was going on and saw the officer there. I'm done my little rant now /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

kensfarm · Oct 12, 2004

I've seen them caught in old barbwire fences in the woods before.. it's a death sentence for them.. not a nice way to go.
I think it's safer to shoot them first before trying to untangle them.. those hooves can do major damage.

Golfgar4 · Oct 12, 2004

( I could understand if they saw a hunter in their front yard shooting, but as soon as they hears shots they call 911. )

Hi Steve!

I'm not sure that I follow your thinking. Wouldn't "neighbors" who call the Police when they hear shots be a good thing? After all, they are trying to help protect others, aren't they?

Do you know who it was that called the police? Maybe it was someone that couldn't see what was going on. I guees in a case like that, I'd feel somewhat relieved to know that I had neighbors that would call when something unusual occurred.

Did the officer radio in to headquarters that he was going to be firing his weapon? I would also think that that would have been a good idea, because then the department would be aware of it in case they did get calls.

What happens to the doe? Do you have to bury it, or does DNR come out and get it?

beenthere · Oct 12, 2004

What 'strays' are you referring to? stray deer?

GaryM · Oct 12, 2004

As a somewhat recent transplant to the country, I asked the Sheriff's Deputy if they got many calls for "shots fired"? He said "yeah, and they just tell the caller that they're in the country now and don't worry about it".

I shoot in my own yard, as do some of my neighbors.

There's about 800 acres starting about 1/2 mile from my plce that's owned by a hunting club, so I expect to hear lots of shooting.

Freds · Oct 12, 2004

Several years ago I was travelling across I-90 and saw a vehicle pulled off the side if the highway. I got closer and saw a deer (doe) tangled in the 2x4 or 4x4 wire mesh that runs along the highways in OH. The doe had one foreleg caught in the wire with a full twist. It was wrapped between the hoof and knee. The way she had been caught she was pretty immobile and if it was up to me, I'd have shot her. She was overheated and who knows how long she wasn't getting blood down that leg, but..., we freed her (the guy had wire cutters) and watched her bouncing off the fence as she tried to jump over it again.

KubotaSteve · Oct 12, 2004

I could understand neighbors calling the police if we lived in a subdivision but I live out away from town and there are farms around, but I have a busy body neighbor who moved from the city and still wants all the city rules to apply with a rural life. I'm constantly shooting ground hogs (can't risk them digging holes to upset the tractor) but of course a 22 rifle doesn't make near the noise of a 40 caliber pistol. Hearing shots is not unusual since there are farmers getting rid of the foxes and what not. I guess I'm just tired of all the growth and then the people who move there expect everything to be like the city.
As far as getting rid of it, I had the chance to keep it if I wanted it, but I am not much on deer meat. He had me haul it out to the edge of the road in the tractor bucket and dump it so DOH could pick it up. My wife said it was gone this morning.

KubotaSteve · Oct 12, 2004

I was referring to stray dogs. They were wandering over on my property which concerned me with my daughter out playing in the yard.

sneaky_pete · Oct 12, 2004

( As a somewhat recent transplant to the country, I asked the Sheriff's Deputy if they got many calls for "shots fired"? He said "yeah, and they just tell the caller that they're in the country now and don't worry about it".

I shoot in my own yard, as do some of my neighbors.)

Me too; we have a nice earthen backstop down by the creek. I have kept the boys to .22's and still shoot my .45 at a range to keep the noise down, but the neighbor two places down is a cop and shoots center fire pistol frequently. There have been no complaints that I know of, but we try hard to be considerate of the time of day and etc.

Pete

TBAR · Oct 12, 2004

Putting her down was probably the best thing. With a broken leg she likely would have died a prolonged and painfull death. She was also a real danger to the people trying to free her.

I cut this Ball Of Fur loose several years ago and in hind sight feel it was a stupid and dangerous thing to have done.

TBAR

beenthere · Oct 12, 2004

Are you allowed to shoot stray dogs? We have leash laws most everywhere around here. Min. requirement to have collars, tags, and rabies shots. But, still can get into some trouble shooting dogs.

plumboy · Oct 12, 2004

TBAR, how did you go about getting that bobcat loose?

sneaky_pete · Oct 12, 2004

( ... I have a busy body neighbor who moved from the city and still wants all the city rules to apply with a rural life.

I guess I'm just tired of all the growth and then the people who move there expect everything to be like the city.)

This phenomenon never ceases to amaze me, but happens all the time. How can people be so clueless? They must not have done any homework or research at all before moving. And these kinds of people usually end up bringing the city with them, so to speak.

Pete

Golfgar4 · Oct 12, 2004

( They must not have done any homework or research at all before moving )

We see the same thing around here. We'll have "city" people, like from Chicago, come up and stay at a resort for a week. Why, it's just a wonderful experience.

So they get to talking, and wouldn't it be nice to have this feeling all of the time? Well, let's buy a resort, and then we can!

So they buy the resort, but all of a sudden, they don't like the zoning requirements (or lack thereof) that let's their neighbors do just about whatever they want - CAUSE THEY'RE IN THE COUNTRY!!

So the new owners go to the local government office, which is usually a back room in a store or the post office, and want to find out how to get things changed so that their life can be more comfortable like when they lived in the city. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

They just don't get it. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

TBAR · Oct 12, 2004

( TBAR, how did you go about getting that bobcat loose? )

Crawl over the fence with a pair of wire cutters.......

Have #1 son armed with a shotgun aimed at the animal........

Move very slowly with the cutters toward the wire........

Jump back a couple of times when he pitches a fit...........

Finally get close enough to cut the wire.........

Bobcat runs off.......

On thing I did not think of was what if the cat had decided that the bald spot on my head needed to be covered with fur....................and my son is standing there training a shotgun on him. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

By my own admission.........STUPID.......STUPID.......STUPID.

TBAR

beenthere · Oct 12, 2004

I was at our Town Hall once when that very thing happened, and it was a continous unfolding of complaints from the "city" guy.
Farm tractors on the narrow roads.
Manure and mud on the roads.
Big wide machinery on the roads.
Guns going off.
Etc., etc.

Finally the Town Chair was through listening, and asked the question "Did you like this place when you bought your property?", and the answer was Yes.

The Town Chair said "Then leave it that way".

Ken_f · Oct 12, 2004

I have the neighbors trained around here. Between me on my 21 acres and my neighbor on his 17 we shoot constantly. You name it too. Pistol, AR AK and from time to time a few 2 liter soda bottles with aluminum foil and muriatic acid which makes a noise beyond any rifle shot that I have heard (less
50cal)

Everything that we do is safe and within the law. In Pennsylvania you can't shoot within 450 feet of any occupied house other than your own. Also, we don't make allot of noise at night or Sunday mornings. But we do get the (few) city people use to the way of the country.

We were here first (the farms) we are not PC so deal with it is our pholosipy... And yes we are armed... All of the time.

Ken

duck12 · Oct 12, 2004

Same problem in Hedgesville lived here all my life now ever time a 4wheeler rides down the road or a gun shoot a person up the road how moved here from Leesburg calls the state police . All of Berkeley and Jefferson is growing way to much somethang needs to be done .

SPIKER · Oct 13, 2004

Deer or other critters caught in fences is not that un-common: seen it several times myself and helpped to try and free a few but the end result was usually the same that the critter was doomed to a slow and painfull death. one was a OWL which while swooping or flying after some rodent got caught in the local barb wire fence under both wings and above it's head. it was stuck good and we could not free it as it was there probably most of the night. when we tried to get it off it of corse flailed aobut making things worse, we did get it off and got it back home but it died shortly there after form shock/blood loss or something else. back then there wasn't any wild life rescue places as seen today. but it was one of the biggest & pretties birds I ever seen upclose. brobably a 5~6' wingspan with the softest feathers immigineable. I was a KID back then and while it lived a short time it probably could have been saved if it had happened today. not sure if it was a barn owl or a snow owl but was winter and was mostly white (cept for the stains form the damage where both armpits were snagged and back of the neck by the barbs.) figured it hit the fence @ a good clip to get stuck the way it was. the beak was a good 2.5~3" long!

we had to go back home ~1/2 mile to get heavy leather welding/stove gloves to get it off the fence even then getting BIT wasn't an appealing option. we used a leather NAIL BAG tied over it's head to soften it's fear. still once we got it loose we set it free on the spot but the next day it was still there & it was appearant it couldn't fend for it's self. we took it home into warm basement and ket it fed with strips of sliced meat for several days but it wouldn't HEAL as it wanted to fly and kept tearing open the wing wounds. it ate very well and was happy to take food. we didn't have a phone to call the DNR and we didn't have a running car to take it anywhere nore could we afford to pay to take it to vet. it died from onset of infection I think...

anyhow in that case risk was small but I would not suggest ANYONE try and free a full sized DEER that is stuck in a fence! even getting a stupid coon dog freed can get you hurt. (don't ask me how I know that!) and yes it was MY BROTHERS dog which while big and very stupid was fearless about chasing coon wood chucks or just about anything but deer. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

MarkM