Video: Warden Frees Locked-Up Deer with Shotgun

https://www.themeateater.com/v...37&mc_eid=b67aa1fbd6

This is a slow time of year for most game wardens, but last week one officer got a call that he’ll never forget. It all ended with him taking aim at the antlers of two entangled whitetail bucks and touching off a shot from his 12-gauge.

Officer Scott Kallweit was dispatched in response to a call Russ and Shelley Wright, a couple that came across two male whitetails near their home in Calgary, Alberta, that had locked their horns together while fighting, according to CBC News.

When he arrived, Kallweit weighed his options, including tranquilizing the animals, but told Global News that “being the only officer on scene, that was a limiting option.” Instead he chose to use his shotgun—loaded with slugs—to free the deer with one well-placed shot.

CBC News also shared a similar video from 2018 of another Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer freeing locked-up deer with a shotgun. That time, however, it was too late for one of the bucks. Some folks may also remember a viral video of Ted Nugent pulling off a similar feat a few years ago with a 10-mm pistol to separate entangled whitetails.

If you come across some gridlocked bucks, we encourage you to follow Russ and Shelley Wright’s example by calling wardens. A reporting officer will be able to handle the situation in the best possible manner.

Video and photo via Russ and Shelley Wright.

Many years ago, my buddy and I ran into something like this during deer season. A 10 pointer locked with the remains of an 8 pointer.

It seems that the ten point buck had survived coyotes eating the 8 point buck up to the base of it's skull; the head with rack and neck skin were all that was left of a nice 8 point buck. The 10 pointer appeared tired, but healthy so I fetched the chain saw to cut the horns of the dead buck so as to free the 10 pointer.
By then, my buddy had become enamored with the nice trophy rack of the live buck and shot it for himself. A cut with the saw and a little field dressing and he had his limit of deer. It did make a nice shoulder mount and he reported that the meat was still good.

PS I already had my venison for the year.

A friend and I were hunting in the early 80’s and came across to good bucks locked up around a sapling about 2” in diameter. Both had been dead for a couple of days. The area was completely beat down and must have been quite the rumble before they got locked up. At one point I had a picture and I believe my friend did end up recovering the antlers. A tough way to die.

Nature in the raw.

Not like Disney land.

That was a heck of a shot. And to see both deer run off.