New Jersey Farmer Hopes To Save Deer With Arrow Lodged In Head
ROCKAWAY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A deer has been spotted wandering in Morris County, N.J. with a hunter's arrow in its head, residents hoped the injured animal could be found in time to save its life.
As CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported, deer are ever present in the rural Morris County municipality of Rockaway, N.J. It is no big deal to see as many as 18 at once.
But on Friday, farmer Susan Darrah looked at one deer, and it made her do a double take.
"I saw something that didn't look quite right," Darrah said. "I saw this arrow through him, and then ran back in the house got the camera and took the picture of him."
She snapped a photo that looks like a PhotoShop job, but most assuredly is not.
The yearling should be dead, but instead was acting like the hunter's arrow was no big deal.
"He kept up with the members of his herd and frolicked off," Darrah said.
Darrah admitted she grew obsessed with finding the injured deer, posting the photo on Facebook and calling experts.
She also spread cracked corn in her yard, which worked to bring the deer with its unusual headgear back four more times.
The last time Darrah saw the injured deer, she had an animal control worker standing by. But still this deer got away.
There have been no sightings for two days, but Darrah remained hopeful.
"We're going to get him, and we're going to save him," Darrah said.
In the small New Jersey town, there have been other strange deer occurrences. At Anthony's Pizzeria in 2009, a deer crashed right through the plate glass window and into the dining room.
"Probably saw its reflection, thought it was another deer, protected its territory -- went right for it; went through the window," said Anthony's Pizzeria owner Robert Carmagnola.
That deer was saved.
"We made barricades -- human barricades -- ushered him out the back door," Carmagnola said.
Wildlife experts said deer are tough animals, and in this case, the arrow struck the muscular part of its neck and not a major artery.
Deer experts said breaking the arrow, pulling it out, and giving yearling antibiotics could give a young buck a second chance.
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