Wildlife officer tackles deer tangled in hammock in Colorado. See the ‘wild rescue’
A wildlife officer pulled out some old athletic skills to rescue a deer that got tangled in a hammock in Colorado, video shows.
Deputies from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office also joined in on the rescue, the agency said Jan. 8 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Colorado Parks and Wildlife and our JCSO deputies teamed up for a wild rescue mission!” the agency said. “A curious deer got itself tangled in a backyard hammock in the Applewood community, and it was up to this amazing team to set it free.”
Both agencies shared a video showing the deer struggling to free itself from the hammock and being lifted off the ground in the process.
During a brief moment of stillness, the wildlife officer takes his chance and pounces onto the deer to hold it steady as an officer cuts the rope with a knife, the video shows.
“So tackling deer isn’t our first choice, but we had to get hands-on to prevent the deer from hurting itself,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Jan. 9 on X. “...Our officer did not play football past middle school. We think his coaches would be proud of the technique.”
Someone commented the wildlife officer should “take up bulldogging,” a rodeo event in which a cowboy races after a steer, dismounts his horse and wrestles the steer to the ground.
The deer groans in frustration and fear as they free it, then the wildlife officer holds onto the deer to position it for a safe release.
“The deer didn’t completely understand we were there to help but was grateful to be set free,” the sheriff’s department said.
Both agencies reminded residents to “be mindful of wildlife” and “to secure or store outdoor items like hammocks and sporting nets when not in use, to help protect our wildlife neighbors.”
Applewood is about a 10-mile drive west from Denver.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Wildlife officer tackles deer tangled in hammock in Colorado. See the ‘wild rescue’."
