Pumpkin bucket removed from elusive Detroit deer after 10-day search

A Detroit animal rescue group helped free a young deer from a plastic pumpkin bucket that had gotten stuck on his head after Halloween. 

The group, Detroit Animal Welfare Group, was concerned the deer would become dehydrated and eventually starve. 

Pumpkin bucket stuck on deer

The backstory:

Shortly after Halloween, the group posted on social media that it had gotten calls about helping a deer that had a pumpkin button stuck around its head. 

It wasn’t clear if the deer was able to still eat or drink anything. 

Dig deeper:

The group posted on social media for days, asking for people to report sightings. They received several updates and photos and knew the deer was becoming emaciated and weak, but couldn’t catch up to it. 

The group said it received permission from the DNR to tranquilize the animal if they were able to catch up with it. 

The group even asked for help using a heat sensing drone to track him down, and said it got help from search volunteers and that multiple drone pilots had also taken time to look. 

Sunday night, the group posted on social media, "We did it!" 

Thousands liked and hearted the post and commented. 

Later that night, the group said the deer was spotted in Hines Park. 

Volunteers tracked him through the woods and waded through the river several times before catching up to him and being able to safely "dart" him. 

What they're saying:

"The bucket was removed!!! It is a young button buck, he was moderately dehydrated, SQ fluids were given, he was ear tagged due to the tranquilizing medication, which is required by law for human safety …the medication was reversed…. And he was up and on his way. He stopped for a few minutes to groom himself and look back to say thank you!," the group posted. 

The group thanks everyone who helped in the search, which they say lasted for 10 days.

Wild NatureDetroit