A yearling mule deer doe got a helping hand from a teenager and an Idaho Fish and Game officer over Memorial Day Weekend. IDFG says the doe tried walking through a mud puddle in a field off Marsh Creek Road just north of McCammon and sank up to her belly.
A worried homeowner contacted IDFG conservation officer Nick Noll. Noll used wooden boards, a shovel, some rope, and the help of Noll's 15-year-old neighbor, Cole Gunter, to get the deer out of the puddle. Noll and Gunter stood on the boards to keep from sinking and secured ropes around the front and hindquarters of the doe.
“Since she was a little gal, I was able to grab the rope in each hand and pull her out of the mud into my lap. Then I carried her onto the bank,” said Noll.
The doe took a moment to recover while the ropes were removed. IDFG says she jumped up, hopped a fence and bounced into the sage brush. Gunter was happy to help with the rescue effort, saying “I want to ensure a better deer population in Bannock County, so every deer counts!”
“It was definitely a feel-good day as a game warden,” Noll remarked. “I started this gig to help wildlife, and I think we literally saved a deer’s life.”
