Deer versus Fence

A totally wacky day. It started with me finding a deer stuck in the goat's electric netting.

I was heading up to do some watering before I let the goats out this morning when I noticed that the electric netting fence we use for rotating the pastures was down. I couldn't see any of it but for a small corner. There is 328 feet of this fence.

I walked closer and saw the white tail and wondered why it wasn't moving with me and the dog in the area. My usual response to a deer this close to the house or barn is to send the dog on a "git" mission. Chase the deer away. Something held me back today and I guess it was a good thing. As I walked closer to see the fence all stretched on the ground, around the shed and across the new grazing area, the deer put up his head. It was covered with the mesh fence. I immediately turned for the house and kept the dog away.

I had to call the Game Warden to either shot him or tranquilize him and get the fence off his head and antlers. The poor thing must have twisted at least 60 or 80 feet of fence in a knot around his head. I was lucky the warden was in his office and came within 20 minutes.

Tom used a prod to inject the medication into the deer and it worked fairly quickly. We were hoping a healthy deer, as this one appeared to be, would make it. Within about 5 minutes, he untangled the wires from the antlers and head and then tried to reposition the animal to help his breathing. It was a hot day and the deer was already exhausted and down before the tranquilizer. He was dead an hour later when Tom checked on him.

Meanwhile, I had to dash to the dentist.

Dashed back, as did Dave, to fix the other permanent fence and check on the goats who were in the corral with no power on because of the damaged wire. When that was done Dave had to drag the now deceased deer up in the woods with the quad.

Then I had to ref a game in Greensburg at 5pm.

As I told everyone, the dentist was the good part of my day!!!!!!!!

The deer had a worse day.