Deer sparks ‘flurry of calls’ when it’s spotted wandering Idaho with metal on its neck

A deer set off a frenzy in an Idaho town because it had a trash can lid around its neck, officials said.

The doe was spotted wandering near McCall, Idaho Fish and Game said.

“(The) office received a flurry of calls about a mule deer doe with a trash can lid stuck on her neck,” according to a Fish and Game news release on July 13. “Sure enough, when staff went to check things out, she was wearing a large, metal lid.”

Initially, the lid wasn’t too tight, officials said. The deer could still move and eat, so wildlife officials wanted to wait overnight to see if the deer could get out of the lid on its own.

In the morning, however, the deer was still wearing the lid.

“Staff headed out to the scene, near the Frisbee golf course in the middle of town,” officials said. “With some assistance from a couple of local residents, Fish and Game staff were able to use a dart gun to sedate the deer.”

The lid easily slid off the deer, according to Fish and Game. The deer woke up with no injuries and didn’t seem concerned.

Fish and Game said its staff often gets calls about deer getting tangled in objects. It’s common to see deer trapped in hammocks, metal plumbing, mice traps or Christmas lights, officials said.

Wildlife officials in other states have said entanglements can become serious for deer because they could die.

It’s also extremely stressful for the animal to frantically try to free itself from whatever it gets wrapped in.

“We know that many Idaho residents who live in close proximity to wildlife value that opportunity, but it comes with some additional responsibilities to keep wildlife wild and out of trouble,” Regional Communications Manager Brian Pearson said in the news release. “This serves as a good reminder.”

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