By Scott Bestul

It’s rare for a winter to pass without some word of a whitetail stuck on ice, and it’s easy to see how that situation occurs. Many frozen waterways offer deer comparatively easy travel to the deep snows found on shore. Some whitetails surely run onto ice to avoid predators, and of course deer are no different than any critter (or human) in their ability to just make the occasional stupid mistake and walk where they shouldn’t.

Of course most ice-bound deer are not seen by people and must either find their own way to sure footing or die. But each year a handful are spotted by passersby, many who decide that the “Nature must take its course” option is not acceptable. Rescues occur and the deer live to confront other survival challenges.

Naturally, getting a wild whitetail off the ice is no easy task, and the photos and stories that accompany these rescues often involve a lot of rope, a panicked deer and bunch of mayhem. But if you want to see a slick, seconds-to-safety whitetail roundup, check out this video. Some pretty ingenious maneuvering by a chopper pilot who gave a young deer another shot at life.

Comments (11)

from 2Poppa wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Ahh, "I love it when a plan comes together!"
Hannibal-THE A TEAM

Human ingenuity at it's finest!

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from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Handy as a Swiss Army Knife, BY'GOLLY!!

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from KyleKortright wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Way to be creative.

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from Sarge01 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

I have had to try to "rescue" deer on the ice before and I didn't have access to that fine tool. Mine never seem to go quite that smooth . I couldn't explain to people to let nature take it course. The "good" people just wanted to save the poor deer. Great job.

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from 60256 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Ya know what? I think it was just frozen!

Nate

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from mad_dog9999 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

WEEEEEEEEEEE!!! CAN I DO IT AGAIN! CAN I! CAN I! YAY!!!!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FoxValleyGameChef wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

That was super cool! Good quick thinking by the pilot and a great animal rescue- hats off to that guy !

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from Stilly wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Where was this video shot?

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from Arctic-Duramax wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

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from hjohn429 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

That is a really smart idea. That's pretty awsome.

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from shermanator wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Love your comment 2poppa love that show

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from BowtechWVU wrote 2 years 7 weeks ago

Thats a interesting blog about a cool story

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from 2Poppa wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Ahh, "I love it when a plan comes together!"
Hannibal-THE A TEAM

Human ingenuity at it's finest!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Clay Cooper wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Handy as a Swiss Army Knife, BY'GOLLY!!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from KyleKortright wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Way to be creative.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sarge01 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

I have had to try to "rescue" deer on the ice before and I didn't have access to that fine tool. Mine never seem to go quite that smooth . I couldn't explain to people to let nature take it course. The "good" people just wanted to save the poor deer. Great job.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 60256 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Ya know what? I think it was just frozen!

Nate

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from mad_dog9999 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

WEEEEEEEEEEE!!! CAN I DO IT AGAIN! CAN I! CAN I! YAY!!!!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FoxValleyGameChef wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

That was super cool! Good quick thinking by the pilot and a great animal rescue- hats off to that guy !

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Stilly wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Where was this video shot?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Arctic-Duramax wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Awesome, thanks for sharing!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from hjohn429 wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

That is a really smart idea. That's pretty awsome.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from shermanator wrote 2 years 10 weeks ago

Love your comment 2poppa love that show

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from BowtechWVU wrote 2 years 7 weeks ago

Thats a interesting blog about a cool story

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.