Reined Deer -or- Buck on a String

[Ed. Please accept our sincerest apologies for the post title. The author has been admonished with the sternest of language.]

Notice anything unusual about this whitetail buck?

No? How about this one?

Pretty obvious, isn’t it?

Last Saturday afternoon I noticed that I had missed a phone call from a neighbor. She left the following voicemail:

Eric, it’s _______. Don’t block me; I am your neighbor. [I’ve known her for at least five years.] I’m here in the exercise room and there’s a sweet little young buck that’s in trouble over here. He’s right behind your house, but he’s got ropes tangled up in his horns and his antlers. OK, bye.

There’s a lot to unpack in that message but most of it isn’t relevant to the topic at hand. I picked up the message about two hours after she left it, and even though I was skeptical that the deer was still around, I was curious enough that I jumped in our golf cart and drove onto the paved trail that circles most of our neighborhood. And sure enough, the buck was hanging out behind the clubhouse, along with another buck and a few does, and looking like some demented mutant kite project gone terribly wrong.

I wanted to see how close I could get, thinking there might be a chance to snag the “rope” (it looked more like mason line than a rope), although in hindsight I have no idea what I would have done if I’d actually managed to do that.

I did have the presence of mind to video the encounter while following it in the cart.

Other than presenting a ridiculous sight for an otherwise fairly majestic creature, I’m not sure that this situation warrants any significant concern. It’s pretty unlikely that the string will get tangled in brush in such a way as to harm the deer. And, to be honest, getting it tangled in that manner might solve the problem, as I’m sure the buck is strong enough to snap the line. In addition, antlers are disposable, in case the string proves to be stronger.

Debbie and I spotted the buck again yesterday morning during a walk, and nothing has changed. It’s still just as skittish as ever, and just as silly-looking as before. Another neighbor told us that she’s tried to get in touch with the city’s animal control officer, but I don’t think he’ll have an answer that won’t be worse for the animal than letting things play out naturally. The last time neighbors were bothered by an animal, the solution involved a .22 rifle.

I haven’t completely abandoned the idea of creeping up behind the deer and grabbing the line (with gloved hands), just to see what happens. In other words…hold my beer… 🤣