COLORADO — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is asking Coloradoans to remove any outdoor decorations that could turn into a potential tangle hazard for deer, elk or moose.
Several types of antlered wildlife are currently migrating from their summer habitat to their winter homes while they seek mating opportunities.
Every year, CPW officers have to respond to incidents where antlered animals have gotten dangerously tangled.
Common tangle hazards include:
- hammocks,
- holiday decorations,
- garden items and
- netting for volleyball or tennis.
You can be a good neighbor to wildlife by putting away any recreational or landscaping equipment that isn’t actively in use. You can also make sure that any outdoor lights and decorations are tightly secured wherever they are hung.
Bucks are especially likely to get tangled sometime this season. During their breeding season, bucks will rub their antlers on things to mark their territory and signal their presence to other bucks.
The breeding season for deer has already started and will hit its peak in mid-November to December.
When deer and elk get their antlers tangled, the stress and exhaustion caused by them trying to free themselves can lead to death.
CPW officers can often get the deer untangled if they are nearby and notified in a timely manner. In certain cases, they can carefully remove the object and free the animal. In others, they have to cut the animal’s antlers off.
Human assistance isn’t necessary in situations where the the entanglement doesn’t keep the animal from being able to eat or drink.
Assistance also isn’t needed if the entanglement is at a low risk of getting caught in other items that could prevent the animal from moving. These types of entanglements will resolve when the animal sheds its antlers.
According to CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager, Steve McClung, “We need to know about these situations quickly. It’s best if we can get to these animals before they’ve undergone too much stress and have exhausted themselves.”
If you’re going to put up outdoor decorations, CPW recommends that you place them higher than six feet. They don’t pose a risk to wildlife if attached tightly to trees or buildings.
If you come across a tangled animal, report it directly to Colorado Parks and Wildlife by calling your local office or by calling Colorado State Patrol (CSP) if outside of business hours. CSP will pass along the information to the on-call wildlife officer in your area.
When reporting a tangled animal, be sure you know:
- the animal’s location,
- the time you saw them,
- what its behavior was like,
- whether it’s able to move or not and
- whether the hazard is keeping the animal from eating, drinking or breathing.
Do NOT try to free the animal yourself. A stressed animal may act more aggressively and cause injury with their hooves or antlers.
During the fall breeding season, it is very important to give antlered wildlife their space and to use increased caution when in their presence. During this time, these animals are fiercely looking for a mate and can easily become agitated towards anyone or anything they consider to be challenging them.
Dogs are often considered targets and can be badly injured by a buck’s antlers.
Deer can also become aggressive towards humans. Attacks are reported around the state each fall, and a person has already been attacked in Aspen this year.
Deer that are regularly seen in neighborhoods may also behave aggressively during this time of the year.
To learn more tips on how to live with wildlife, go to the CPW website.
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