Mule deer antlers are long and pointy. They are excellent for rutting, when male deer face off to determine the mating hierarchy. They are also great at getting tangled.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials are asking Coloradans to remove tangle hazards as the mule deer mating season kicks into high gear.
“This time of year mule deer bucks are rubbing their antlers on trees and a lot of different things, and a lot of times they will find hazards,” said John Livingston, the southwest region spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
“Every year our wildlife managers have to go respond to some of those issues and try and help those animals,” he said.
Deer and elk across the state have been getting tangled in yard hazards this fall. In October, an elk was found with a child’s swing seat attached to its antlers in Jefferson County. CPW officers had to tranquilize the elk to cut away the seat.
Last week, two bucks were found tangled together in a badminton net in Evergreen.
And on Oct. 29, a buck died after getting caught in a hammock in Parker. The hammock was wrapped around the buck’s head and body, cutting off circulation to its back leg as the animal tried to free itself, according to a CPW news release.
“It’ll stress the animal out,” Livingston said. “They’ll be thrusting around trying to get out of that situation and they can cause harm to themselves, which can make it hard for them to survive in the wild.”
Hammocks, volleyball and badminton nets, Halloween decorations such as artificial spider webs, Christmas lights, and back porch swings can all be hazardous for deer, Livingston said.
If an animal does tangle itself, report it to CPW rather than attempting to remove the object.
“We try to help these animals out as much as we can, and if people do have an animal tangled up in anything at their house, don’t try to go fix it yourself,” he said. “Call our Durango CPW office and we’ll get a wildlife manager out there right away to help that animal out.
“We just don’t want anybody to mess around with an animal that’s stressed like that and injure themselves as well,” he said.
The hope is that by proactively working with residents, CPW can limit entanglements and allow nature to take its course.
“There are cases where we will have to remove the antlers and we don’t want to do that to a mule deer buck during the rutting season because that means he likely won’t get a chance to mate,” Livingston said.
From early to mid-November, the rutting season peaks in Southwest Colorado. Residents should be especially careful during this two- to three-week window.
“Put up your hammock when you’re lying in your hammock and as soon as you get out of it take it down,” Livingston said. “If you’re going to set up a badminton or volleyball net to play on the weekend, just take it down once you’re done.”
As the holiday season nears, he recommends tightly wrapping decorations like Christmas lights.
“Really the best practice is anytime you’re not using it take it down,” Livingston said.
Residents who see an entangled deer can call CPW’s Durango office at 247-0855.
ahannon@durangoherald.com
