Colorado Parks and Wildlife warns of increased wildlife entanglement incidents

Across the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife district wildlife managers have been responding to incidents of wildlife, particularly antlered ungulates, caught in various hazards.

According to a CPW press release, reports have included bull elk with hammocks in their antlers, mule deer with tomato cages wrapped around their bodies, a cow elk with a metal patio chair stuck around its neck, and other human garden equipment and recreational items entangling wildlife. With the changing seasons, holiday decorations — including Halloween — are adding what CPW is calling “an extra element on the landscape” that can pose hazards to elk, deer, and moose.

“We see it every year, and it always gets worse this time of year,” CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Steve McClung of Durango said in the press release. “Right now is a great opportunity to clean up your yard of items a curious animal might stick its nose in or get wrapped up in. And when you’re putting up holiday decorations, keep our wildlife in mind. These impairments can really affect their mobility, vision, and ability to eat and drink.”

Halloween decorations in particular have grown in popularity, according to the release, and CPW has responded to increased incidents in recent years. CPW recommends placing holiday lights and decorations higher than six feet or attached tightly to trees and buildings. Lights or artificial webs that hang low or are draped insecurely over vegetation pose the biggest risk to 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.”

Community members can help wildlife out by putting away summer recreational and landscaping equipment not in use and by ensuring holiday lights and decorations are secured tightly wherever they are hung, according to the release.

Bucks are especially vulnerable to these situations this time of year as the rut, or breeding season, begins and bucks rub their antlers on objects to mark territory. The rut has already started for deer and will hit its peak in mid-November through December.

“When animals such as deer and elk become entangled, stress and physical exhaustion caused by trying to break free can lead to death,” the press release states.

While wildlife officers can often get deer untangled if they are nearby and notified in “a timely manner,” they might still have to cut off the animal’s antlers to free it in some cases. In other instances, they can remove the object. The incident with the mule deer and tomato cage wrapped around her torso, cutting through her back, was one where Wildlife Officer Nate Martinez was able to successfully sedate her and cut off the wire.

“We need to know about these situations quickly,” McClung said in the press release. “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.”

He continued: “If the animal is not tethered to what it is tangled in, it can be difficult to chase them through a neighborhood and get into a position to dart them, or sometimes they disappear and we never catch up to help them. The sooner we get information, the more likely we will be able to assist that animal.”

There are also some cases that do not require human assistance, “if the entanglement is not preventing the animal from eating or drinking or if there is low risk that the animal could get caught up in other items that would prevent it from being mobile.”

Regardless, all wildlife that does become entangled should be reported directly to CPW by calling local officials that can be found at cpw.state.co.us/contact-us. Colorado State Patrol dispatch can be contacted outside of normal business hours. When calling CSP, they will relay information to an on-call wildlife officer in the area.

When reaching out about entangled wildlife, CPW asks that callers have the “information regarding the animal’s location and time observed, its behavior, whether it is tied to an object or still mobile, and if the hazard is preventing the animal from eating, drinking or breathing.”

Individuals should never try to free an animal from an entanglement, as stressed animals can act more aggressively and hooves or antlers can cause serious injury.

During the fall breeding season, antlered wildlife need more space. People should use increased caution in their presence, especially with dogs.

“Deer regularly found in neighborhoods may appear docile and not pay much attention to the presence of humans much of the year,” the press release warns, “but may behave more aggressively this time of year.”