I headed out to try a little BG fishing this morning, before work. The biggest pond here has an island out in it, accessible from the mainland by a 30' wooden bridge. And as the far side of the island faces the dam, it drops off to a deep water basin pretty quickly and can provide some good fish stacked up on that transition this time of year.

I'm crossing the bridge with a full head of steam when I hear a commotion...and that's when I see it:



She's standing right where I want to fish. A couple things came to mind right off the bat, one being the cool factor of seeing a deer on the island, the other was the realization that I'm standing between her and the only way off this island, unless she wants to pull a Michael Phelps.

I can't say that I've ever tangled with an inherently aggressive deer, but I've seen plenty of freaked out panicked ones, and this scenario appeared to offer ample opportunity in that regard....possibly for both of us.

The island is physically big enough for the two of us to coexist peacefully, especially for a short time. The mental aspect of trying that seemed problematic at best however, so I decided she needed to go. Since I don't know St Croix's warranty policy on repairing a rod broken by a rampaging deer, I leaned it up tight against a tree and dropped down to the water's edge and began to work my way around to the deer. As I got closer, I saw the injury... a broken right front leg.

I assume it was due to a gunshot, but she would not allow me a good look at that side:



Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't go home and return with a firearm, to put her out of her misery. I don't hunt deer, and wouldn't process the animal, so either way the end result would be the same...coyote food. Before I can decide, she bolts down to the other end of the island and jumps in. She half swam, half ran (right beside the bridge, in fairly shallow (3') water..) to the mainland. I could see her shivering when she climbed out.

I figure she won't last the day. That's the second time in as many years that I've cornered a wounded deer on this island. I'm curious as to why?

I think it is because the island is secluded and apparently to them a relatively safe haven due to one having to make noise to get to the island which gives them ample warning for evasive behavior.

Wounded deer almost always go to water. My guess with all the water around the island she felt safest there.

Apparently deer are pretty decent swimmers. I'd never have guessed that, but it's true. Not sure how good a 3 legged deer can swim though...

I saw one swim across a whitewater river I was kayaking several years ago. We couldn't figure out what the heck we were seeing a little way ahead of us and our group was blown away to see it emerge from the far bank and run off! We all admired her technique for handling the rapids with style!

I have frequently found deer on islands of large reservoirs (Shelbyville) nearly half a mile from any shore. While water serves as a barrier to us, I don't think deer look at it at all that way. Their hair is hollow, and they float easily. A greater danger for them is thin ice.

The deer may not necessarily perish.

I agree too with the seclusion of the island if shes hurt. Moose will get onto our island up north to have their baby's in the spring. When the little one will float with mom they leave the island. Just about every wounded deer we have tracked will enter the water.

Kind of fantastic you got these pictures and had this moment in time.

Cheers Don.

I can think of at least 6 3-legged deer I've seen taken or taken myself (I took one, a buck with a shattered right front quarter, probably from a car hit. The hoof on this foot curled up and around) over the past 35 years of hunting. These were deer that were either totally missing the leg or it was badly mangled (usually a deer/car collision) and were healed up. A couple times the hunter didn't know the deer only had 3 legs until walking up to it because they had adjusted so well. This island looks to have oak trees on or near it. If it's dropped acorns a wounded deer would have food, water & safety... all without having to move much until it was healed enough to start traveling again.

I wouldn't be suprised if she survives. I shot a large doe that turned out to be a buck that dropped it's antlers early. It had a broken rear leg, and the bone overlapped about 2". It was in the process of fusing itself back together, and the knot was the size of a small softball.

I've seen a lot of things and animals can be really tough and survive things you wouldn't think they could. Once found a broadhead imbedded and healed in between a deer's vertebrae. Now that had to be painful!

What pisses me off are the idiots that buy a bow the night before deer season and can't hit the side of barn. Then they stick deer in all kinds of weird places like in the head or leg etc. It makes the rest of us look bad.

I haven't seen her since, but I haven't looked much either. It wasn't the injury itself that made me wonder about her survival, it was her greatly diminished ability to escape the coyotes that I was concerned about. Darn things are getting pretty thick around here.

"Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms."

"Reckon so."

****spits tobaccy juice on Sparkies boot*****