Crews rescue deer stranded on thin ice

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (WHDH) -- A group of firefighters rushed to rescue a deer when they saw it had landed itself on thin ice.

It was a day long struggle of sliding and slipping. The seven point buck fell countless times after it found itself stranded in the middle of Tichigan Lake.

It was a situation that had neighbors concerned and a fire department ready for a rescue.

"We’ll do whatever we can to try to help rectify the situation,” said Rescue Capt. Mike Borchardt of the Tichigan, Wis. Volunteer Fire Company.

The Tichigan Volunteer Fire Company made several attempts to help the struggling animal Wednesday. But thin ice halted the rescue.

"It was deemed that the ice was not as safe at that time,” said Capt. Borchardt.

But the crew did not give up. Another try Thursday, with a few men, a rescue sled and hundreds of yards of rope proved to be the deer's saving grace.

"It was almost as if he knew that we were there to help him,” said Bob Zortman, of the Wis. Volunteer Fire Company.

Bob Zortman and another man placed a rope on the deer's neck and began to move him to shore.

"We were just monitoring it trying to make sure it wasn't going to struggle and try and get up again,” said Zortman.

Forty minutes later they are close to land.

"He’s seeing the trees. He's knowing he's maybe going to be off the ice,” said Zortman.

The crew removes the rope, holds the horns and the deer is finally free.

"We pulled him the last few feet to the shore, made sure he could stand up and then the deer loped off."

"It was the outcome we were hoping for."

It was a very happy ending to a slippery situation.

The deer was not injured in the rescue. But crews did notice a scrape near it's shoulder, believed to be the result of a bow hunting injury.