Chicken Feeder Caught Around Deer's Neck In Calaveras County

COPPEROPOLIS (CBS13) — Oh dear! That's what wildlife experts were saying when they came across a deer with a chicken feeder around its neck.

For the last two weeks, Kelly Link saw the deer when she looked out her window.

(credit: Ben Nuckolls)

"There was a six-block radius where everyone was calling when they saw him," said Link.

This 50-pound buck was foraging for food when he got his head stuck in a chicken feeder. Link called the Department of Fish and Wildlife and multiple animal rescue groups for help.

On Wednesday night, they netted him at her neighbor's house with the help of a state biologist.

"He started squealing and he tried to run off in the field. It took two of us to pull that off. I could feel the scabs, his neck was raw it was a lot tighter than it looked," said Link.

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The deer was safely released back into the wild. Wildlife experts say this is one of the hazards of living amid Mother Nature.

"Deer get too comfy around people, around houses, around neighborhoods and they can get hit by cars, stuck in fencing and stuck in feeders," said Peter Tira with Fish and Wildlife.

Wildlife experts know this won't be the last time they see something like this. There is another deer with a similar problem just an hour away and the state biologist is on his tail.

"He will be very busy. That will be his next mission, to see if they can catch that one as well," said Tira.

He added that this is a reminder it is illegal to feed deer. If you see that animal, do not approach them, call the state instead. Deer could be injured and injure you accidentally because they are scared and trying to escape.