Deer rescues at Lee Lake and in Coleman

Doe mule deer trapped in Lee Lake ice
Photos courtesy of Fish and Wildlife

From extensive notes supplied by Fish And Wildlife Officer John Clarke 

Deer trapped in ice rescued from Lee Lake

On November 5 the Blairmore Fish and Wildlife office received a call from four hunters staying at a cottage at Lee Lake. The call indicated that one adult mule deer doe was observed trapped in ice. Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke requested assistance from Senior Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) Biologist Greg Hale.

Clarke and Hale arrived at the location and organized a plan. They obtained a boat, oars, rope, and life jackets from the callers. An axe and a snare was supplied by Officer John Clarke. They cut through 40 yards of ice and brought the weakened deer back to the shoreline.

To the rescue! Fish and Wildlife Officer John Clarke and ESRD Biologist Greg Hale

In addition to the initial four callers, four other volunteers arrived to assist.

The deer was moved way from the shoreline and dried off. The deer was in a very weak state. She was left near a tree with a blanket as a ground sheet. On returning about an hour or an hour and a half later to check on her condition it was evident she was not recovering, so the decision was made to load the deer into a horse trailer stocked with hay. She was then transported to the Fish and Wildlife warehouse and kept in the warm building for a 24 hour period before being released near the same location she was found in a meadow area.

Another deer rescue in Coleman

On November 16 ,2013, Fish and Wildlife received a call from a concerned citizen in Coleman, Alberta, stating that there was a young mule deer in the neighborhood wrapped up in page wire (used for fencing). The deer is able to walk but with great difficulty.

The decision was made by the officer to tranquilize the animal in order to remove the wire safely.

With assistance from the Crowsnest Pass Bearsmart Volunteers and a local resident, the drugging of the deer went smoothly with the deer recovering in the resident's heated garage.

Recovered, the deer smoothly moved off looking for the nearest bird feeder.