Amid Montana investigation, deer left to roam with arrow in back
Authorities in Montana are investigating a poaching case involving a mule deer buck that’s still carrying an arrow that somebody shot into its back.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, wardens responded to a call from a Billings Heights resident about the wounded deer on Nov. 2.
Wardens located the deer and decided that it had been shot the same day, within city limits where hunting is banned. (Montana’s archery deer-hunting season ended Oct. 20.)
An image released to the media shows the arrow deeply embedded into the top of the deer’s back, near its spine. But the deer apparently has full mobility, so FWP decided against a capture effort.
Injured mule deer. Photo: Montana, Fish, Wildlife & Parks
“FWP does not believe the arrow wound will be fatal for the deer and at this time are not planning to capture the deer to remove the arrow,” the agency stated Tuesday in a news release.
Anyone with potentially helpful information is asked to call the regional warden at 406-860-7805, or submit a report via tipmont.mt.gov.