Colorado Parks and Wildlife warns against entangling animals

Curious animals, especially those with antlers, often get tangled in everyday items kept outside including hammocks, garden equipment and sports equipment like soccer and volleyball nets.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking homeowners to tidy up their properties to remove entanglement hazards to protect wildlife.

Every year CPW officers respond to entangled antlered animals and try to save the animals and protect landowners. CPW officials said that, especially during rutting season in the fall, animals can become more aggressive and pose a danger to humans when they are under stress. CPW advises against homeowners trying to untangle animals as their hooves and antlers can cause serious injury or death.

“Right now is a good opportunity to clean up your yard and to remove items a curious animal might stick its nose in or get wrapped up in,” said CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Steve McClung. “And when you’re putting up various holiday decorations, keep wildlife in mind. We see animals get wrapped up all the time, and all of these impairments can affect their mobility, vision and ability to eat and drink.”

Even things like buckets and used tires can end up harming wildlife.

According to a news release, District Wildlife Manager Cody Rarick has freed three deer from various predicaments in Archuleta County in recent weeks. One had a bucket lid removed from around its neck, another had a garden plant cage wrapped around its torso that had to be cut away, and another had hard plastic that appeared to be from a bicycle pedal stuck around a hoof that impaired it from walking.

“Bucks can be especially prone to these situations this time of year. During the rut — or breeding season — bucks will rub their antlers on objects to mark territory and signal their presence to other bucks. The rut has started for deer and will hit its peak in mid-November through December,” the release said.

“We need to know about these situations quickly,” McClung said. “It’s best if we can get to these animals before they’ve undergone too much stress and have exhausted themselves. Darting them also creates stress and can lead to mortality if the animal has already been stressed too much.”

The popularity of outdoor Halloween decorations has grown recently, and CPW recommends holiday lights and decorations be placed higher than six feet or attached tightly to trees and buildings. Lights or artificial webs that hang low or are draped insecurely over vegetation easily get tangled in antlers.

“Deer are curious and want to check out something that’s hanging along their path or a bucket to see if it’s food,” McClung said. “They may stick their nose in and get those objects stuck around their face or get the handle caught on an antler.”

If you see wildlife that does become entangled, report it directly to CPW by calling the office local to you or through Colorado State Patrol dispatch if it is outside of normal business hours. When calling CSP, they will relay your information to the on-call wildlife officer in your area.

To learn more about living with wildlife, go to the CPW website.