A deer near Williams Lake is moving more freely after a bolt from a crossbow was removed from her back by the BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) on Wednesday, July 10.
Jeremy Pauls with the COS in the Cariboo Chilcotin said the bolt had been in her back for about four weeks.
"We were thinking if we could find the deer, we could tranquilize it and remove the bolt," Pauls told the Tribune Friday, July 12.
On Wednesday, July 10, a resident notified the COS about the deer bedding down in her backyard in the shade and they were able to successfully attend the property and help the deer.
"I'm optimistic that she survived the incident," Pauls said. "She did look healthy, which was good."
He said they monitored the doe for a bit after the bolt was removed until she was able to stand up and take off.
The bolt probably did some damage, however, he said the doe should be able to heal and survive.
"It was in as far as half the length of the bolt, but shot at a sharp angle in the upper back so it did not do a ton of damage on any of the organs which was lucky for the deer."
From when the tranquilizing occurred, the doe was out in about five minutes and probably stayed down for an hour.
After an animal is tranquilized, conservation officers inject a reversal drug to help the animal not be sleepy for too long, he explained.
Pauls said they do not have any leads on the incident, but because it happened more than four weeks ago it was a time when there was no-hunting season open for deer.
The doe had been wandering back and forth along Dog Creek Road in between Gun a Noot Trail and the Bond Lake Road area, he added.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the RAPP hotline (toll-free in B.C.): 1-877-952-7277 (1-877-952-RAPP).
Pauls has worked with the COS in Williams Lake for just over two years and before that was stationed in Fort St. John.
While he had not removed an arrow from a deer before, he has tranquilized deer for a variety of reasons.
"Most of the times I've done it was because it had a garbage can lid stuck on its neck or something like that."
