The Idaho Department of Fish and Game responded to a call in the morning of June 13, from a Gibson Jack resident (south side of Pocatello) about a dead deer in their yard. Calls like this one come to Fish and Game occasionally throughout the year—sometimes deer are hit by vehicles or otherwise injured and are found dead on peoples’ properties. But this situation was unusual because the yearling buck had a leash around its neck and its leg tangled in the hand loop. It was obvious that the leash was intentionally placed around the deer’s neck—either in an attempt to make it a pet or to harass the animal.
Who put the leash around the deer's neck is unknown, and Fish and Game encourages anyone with information to contact the regional office in Pocatello at 208-232-4703 or to contact Citizens Against Poaching at 1-800-632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous.
“This deer experienced a long, slow death,” said Regional Habitat Manager, Anna Owsiak, who since March participated in numerous attempts to find and help the deer. “The condition of the animal was poor—it was obviously malnourished and its velvety antlers had been chewed off at some point. This deer has had to do its best to keep up with its herd, move through brush, escape dogs and other predators, and try to feed -- all with a strap impeding its every move.”
Toward the end, the deer had stepped through the loop of the leash’s hand loop so each time it tried to take a step, its head and neck were likely pulled toward the ground. Ultimately the animal died, a harsh consequence of someone’s illegal actions.
Several calls regarding the yearling deer came to the office. Fish and Game personnel responded each time without any success. Either the animal had moved by the time personnel arrived, or if the animal was present, circumstances made darting impossible without risking safety of the public or other deer in the herd.
“We tried at least four times to dart the deer,” Owsiak says, “but we were thwarted by circumstances such as the deer’s location, windy weather, other deer standing too close to the intended target, or other factors.”
To successfully dart an animal like a deer, a shooter must get a clear shot within 30 feet, not an easy task with a wary animal. Furthermore, too much wind can reduce the accuracy of dart placement.
Lethal removal was considered at one point because the deer was apparently suffering and becoming malnourished, however, proximity to houses and roads also made that option unsafe.
Fish and Game staff continued to search for the deer for weeks, even asking residents along Bannock Highway and Mink Creek Road to assist with locating the yearling, but until Wednesday, the deer had not been seen.
"It is against the law to keep wildlife as pets, or harass a deer in such a manner as this,” said Jennifer Jackson, Regional Conservation Educator. “Even if the intent was not to keep the animal as a pet, the end result is the same—last year’s spotted fawn is this spring’s saddest story. I can’t imagine the stress this yearling went through before it finally succumbed to its situation. It’s heartbreaking.”