Colorado Parks and Wildlife says a local deer is feeling a little bit lighter. The animal had a shocking eight pounds of hammock netting and a pole stuck in its antlers.
Wildlife officials say they had to tranquilize the animal to remove the net. However, with limited time until the buck woke up, officials had to act quickly. Officers decided to remove the antlers instead.
“In a perfect world, we could walk up and easily remove the netting, but wildlife rescue is rarely that straightforward,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife in a social media post. “The decision to remove the antlers was made with the deer’s well-being as our top priority.”
Officials say the antlers will grow back by next year. In the meantime, the deer gets to live a life free of obstructions that could have hindered it from eating.
Earlier this fall, wildlife experts warned homeowners of items like hammocks and holiday decorations that can often get stuck in deer antlers. The warning is something to remember as we head towards the winter holiday season.
