Not what you'd expect a mile out in the lake
Don't anyone go to Snopes.com and blow it. I don't care if this story was completely fabricated, it's hella sweet.
Apparently, a mile and a half out, a small fishing boat discovered...
Wait is that....?
Yes! A distraught deer obviously looking for his waterski tow!
Thankfully, this hulking Marine helped land the confused ani-pal an everyone was escorted back to shore. Ahnnn. [Head tilt]
Kinda exhasting, Jehn B. [wiping brow]
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WOOO HOOO!
Sorry, but bleen.
I'm pretty sure this is true, so I'm not going to look otherwise to spoil it.
That can't be real. A deer can swim?
So close yet so far. I'll just ride the high from the happy moose.
huh? i'm so confused...
Sorry, couldn't help myself... I went to Snopes... The story is TRUE!!!! I'm so glad, although I think I would have taken the poor little thing to a wildlife preserve.. BUT at least they rescued him!!
What a sweet story!!!!
And no, I wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't a true story... I wouldn't have blown away anyone's bubble that way...
It's okay to look, it's true. Teh deer in VA, tehy don't got much sense.
Deer can swim! I was at the river with my brother the other day, just hanging out, when he was like, "What's that" and lo and behold, a deer just cruising down the center of the river. We thought it was in trouble until it paddled very delicately to shore and got out to eat some nice green leaves. Who knew!
Yeah! Another hunky rescuer for the "Heroes of CO" calendar. Where do I place my order???
It's legit:
http://www.snopes.com/photos/hunting/deerfish.asp
Not sure what the deal with everyone not wanting to know whether it's fake or not. I like a good fiction story too but I also like to know whether I'm living in reality or fantasyland.
"Too weak to stand, he just sat there quivering. We picked him up again and put his feet underneath him, but he still couldn't walk or stand. We left him sitting there looking at us. Before we left, I looked him in the eye and said, 'See you on opening day; payback time.'"
It was a very sweet story...until that point. I get that people hunt, that they eat what they catch and all and that's fine...but why (in my opinion) ruin the sweet gesture with that? Man...save the deer's life and claim that you'll come back when it's legal to kill him. Jerk.
Poor deer. I hope he did okay on that beach.
I kinda think the deer didn't speak English at the time, Jenn.
Also, actions speak louder than words.
I'm fairly sure that if he knew that it was the same deer he had saved he wouldn't kill it in a hunt...
Of all the things to see out in the water!!! Poor thing! Definitely not the brightest bulbs, those deer.
It is a great story, and I applaud them for saving an animal that obviously was barely clinging to life, but I am not sure I can convey full hero status upon them. I can get over the hunting remark, but the poor thing was almost certainly dehydrated and exhausted when they left it. Surely they could have at least made a phone call to the Dept of Natural Resources or such to send someone out to check on it? Still, weak and helpless on land is WAY better than weak and helpless in the water, so good on them for that.
No kidding, Marishka. Where are all these men coming from??
Deer swim across our lake all the time, along with bear. I'm sure that lake is a lot bigger than our 400 acre lake, but I've seen deer swim frequently.
Poor deer (no pun), a little directionally challenged perhaps? Where are those little floaties when you need them?
Huh; you poor saps, it was obviously shot in an infinity pool, left over from "Pirates of the Carribean" or some such. Still it didn't engender unseemly lachromosity from most of you, like I expected. :0)
LOL Hon Glad.Well somebody had to yell shopped sooner or later. ; )
HE was just saving masculine face with the shooting comment... besides some of the sweetest most gentle men I have known do the pretend macho thing.
I am sure the deer was up and running shortly after it was placed on shore.
uh yeah. not too pleased with the "catch you later" line or the implication in the rest of the story that they only helped it because the fish weren't biting. yuck.
still, at least the poor thing had a chance, though not ideal. leaving it would have meant certain death.
i choose to imagine that the deer refreshed itself, went on its way, and will live a long healthy life.
The DNR wouldn't be bothered to rush out and check on a single whitetail deer, especially in Maryland. There's so many whitetails there, it's considered a "deer damage" area. Not to burst anyone's cute bubble, but that means that there's enough that they cause a severe problem, between eating so much to starve out their fellows, causing damage to crops, and endangering motorists on roadways.
The guys did right on pulling the deer out and setting it free. So what if they wanted to come back and hunt later? Give them credit for a humane job done, and let it be.
They sound like idiots, really. Why not just admit that you didn't want to let the deer drown? Why try to fluff your story with crap about making threats to a half-dead, half-grown spike?
Either he's an all-out moron or he's scared of sounding like a compassionate and mature man.
Excuse my ranting. It just irks me when people think they HAVE to act like that all the time. A little compassion for our animal brethren is a good thing.
[Well, really, how would you expect a US Marine to talk? Again, actions speak louder than words... - Ed.]
On a recent trip to Alaska, we learned that the deer their frequently swim through very cold, turbulent water to get to the other islands. They may not be the brightest bulbs in the box, but surely they know what they're doing in these cases. I think this little guy (or gal?) would have been fine, but still, who wouldn't like a lift every now and again?
Anyone else think it's hilarious that they were out fishing and caught a deer?
[ ;) - Ed.]
Let's have his babies, yay!
this deer must be up for a Darwin award. Hello! Swim the OTHER way! ha ha. Poor lost and exhausted deersie!
Paunchie -- their GPS reception is pretty bad until the antlers grow back in.
Deer hairs is hollow. Ask anyone who ties flies. That's what my dad used for fishing lures. I won't go into details about where the hairs came from.
[So does this help them float? - Ed.]
how do you tie a fly? With wee little knots! (rim shot)
There was a similar story on Lake Ontario earlier this summer:
http://www.thestar.com/article/449503
I like "maybe he was looking for an American girl"
Aww. I usually prefer Army boys to Marines, but I think I have a soft spot for this one. :)
I live in Southern CT and there are a bunch of little islands in the long island sound. The deer swim from island to island all the time. In fact, my friend is a Maritime Lawyer and several times he has had to talk to insurance companies about boat vs. deer accidents! They are great swimmers - this one just got lost.
Deer swim in the Pacific Ocean between the San Juan islands here in Washington!
Samma... Samma... Let us look at it from a deer point of view: "There's so many HUMANS all over the planet, it's considered a "human damage" area. That means that there's enough that they cause a severe problem, between eating so much to starve out their fellows, causing damage to the environment, over-exploiting natural resources, and endangering millions of wildlife and domestic animals not only on roadways but also in their natural habitat."
Not wanting to start a 'commentroversy' here. Sorry, Samma... But I just hate hearing how the animals stand in our way from destroying the rest of the planet. Why, they have to cross roads, eat and multiply!
Deers did not invent the automobile, they do not drive any and are not taught the road signs. We, as human beings, have forgotten that we are to share this planet. Not only with animals but with other human beings who are not so fortunate as to eat three meals a day, let alone drive a car.
Deer swim between islands in the Puget Sound (WA) regularly, if not frequently.
Also, black bears can swim long distances too! (There was a news story about one swimming across Puget Sound just a few months ago.)
Andrea
Seattle, WA
Amazing how a nice story like this brings out the whiners. Hot guy, cute deer.
Blanche - So well said!
Thanks for writing what many of us are thinking. There is no rationale for selfishness.
A Marine AND an animal lover?!
Forget Joel, I wonder if THIS GUY'S single! :D
This depressed me for some reason. Poor deer, unable to stand...quivering...and then the guy making the comment about hunting season?
bummer
As for swimming deer...
Supposedly that's how "Hartford" (CT) got it's name...Hart (deer) fording the river. S'posed to be where the deer crossed the river.
Such a great rescue that I'm willing to take the hunting comment with a grain of salt! Plus he does qualify for the "Hot Rescuers of CO" or whatever we're calling it.....!
The deer appears to have been pretty determined to get somewhere anyways..
For anyone touched by the "Meese in Sprinklers" series, take it from this Canuck that mooses ALSO swim, same as deer - and they swim fast and hold a grudge. They swim faster than, say, the average person can paddle a canoe. So if you happen to be out paddling a canoe, being chased by a nasty grudge-holding moose, your last thought might just be "But they looked so cute on CO!!!" Just sayin.
This reminds me of a really cute story a coworker told me. She and her family like to go boating in the San Juan Islands (Washington State) in the summer, and there's a nice safe island there that pregnant deer swim to, give birth, and raise their fawns on away from predators. Then they swim back. I don't think I wouldn have believed her if she hadn't shown me pictures!
Santa missing a reindeer?
Move over Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen--here comes the swimming reindeer!
@Sissy - those'll come in handy when global warming melts the ice at the north pole!
What an adorable story! I love hearing about cute pets. That deer is adorable!
FYI cuteoverload fans, i just discovered http://petduel.com - tons of cute pics! i recommend it if you've never been
Dear Ed...yes, that's why they manage to swim as well as they do. I swear.
that's a nice lake Ontario story. They stayed with the deer for a half hour while he recovered. Po thang.