New Jersey biologists have successfully removed an arrow that had pierced both sides of a deer's head.
Rockaway Township home owner Susan Darrah first spotted and reported the injured deer to the authorities on November 1. Officials at the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife asked Darrah to put corn in her garden in order to lure the deer so that biologists can remove the arrow from the injured deer's head.
On several occasions, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife tried to catch the deer and was finally successful in tranquilizing the deer on Saturday, November 9. The biologists later removed the arrow, treated the wound and released the deer.
As it is bow-hunting season in New Jersey, a hunter may have shot the five month-old male deer. Authorities claim that the arrow had pierced the deer's nasal cavity. According to Larry Hajna, spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection, even though the injury looked very painful it did not cause any damage to any of the deer's organs or arteries.
Moreover, the biologists who treated the deer also suggested that the deer has excellent survival chances even though it walked in the wild with the arrow pierced to the head for over a week.
"I cannot say enough, give enough accolades to the guys at Fish and Wildlife," said Darrah. "These guys were dedicated, determined and totally respective of me and my property... They were just terrific."
The staff at the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife not only removed the arrow from the tranquilized deer's head but also applied topical antibiotics on the wound and gave the animal a shot of antibiotics before releasing it in the wild.
The bow-hunting season will run through January 2014 so Darrah hopes that the deer is not attacked by hunters again.
