MISSING BACKYARD ITEMS? CHECK LOCAL ANTLERS FOR DANGLING DECORATIONS

Homeowners have discovered items missing from their yards. Tomato cages, hammocks, electric cable, child swings, soccer nets and balls of twine have disappeared without a trace. These are not items that thieves usually target. As several homeowners have discovered, it may be a member of the local deer or elk herd.

Bucks and bulls often rub their antlers against a variety of objects and as a result, can get stuck with some unwanted decorations. Objects that are tangled in antlers can frighten and stress the animal, causing it to spend time and energy trying to remove the object at the expense of feeding and resting. Netting and mesh can also physically impair the vision, mobility and feeding of deer and elk. If the animal is trailing a cable or rope behind, it has a greater chance of being caught in a fence or tangled up with another animal.

When animals appear to be in distress because of objects tangled in antlers, the Colorado Division of Wildlife may tranquilize and free deer and elk from a variety of objects. In order to tranquilize an animal, however, officers must get within 40 yards. Often this is not possible, as most of these deer and elk are merely inconvenienced by their entanglement and are too alert and mobile to approach. Sometimes deer and elk free themselves of the material, and some may just have to wait until late winter when they shed their antlers. If the animal does not appear impaired or bothered by the tangle in its antlers, usually the best course of action is to leave it alone.

Homeowners are encouraged to check their property for items that will potentially become tangled in antlers, if deer or elk have been present in the area. Garden hoses, Christmas lights, ropes, mesh fencing and hammocks are some of the most common items to be “swiped” by these animals. Make sure such items are either secured, or kept in a garage or shed. It is difficult to predict exactly what deer and elk are capable of snagging, but homeowners can reduce the risk to these backyard visitors by anticipating such problems before they happen.

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