Deer saved from an icy death
Animal had fallen in off Nassau Point
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11 comments below
When a buck broke through ice and was spotted floundering in Horseshoe Cove off Nassau Point in Cutchogue on Friday, three law enforcement officers wasted no time in commandeering a rowboat, breaking open a channel and pulling the stunned animal safely to shore.
Tom and Marian Cornwell spotted the deer about 2:30 p.m. Friday, 200 feet from the end of their dock "with nothing but ice between it and the shore," said Mr. Cornwell.
When town police officer Bob Bopp, bay constable Don Dzenkowski and state DEC officer Tom Gadomski arrived, they borrowed a neighbor's 14-foot aluminum boat and secured ropes to the stern. Officers Dzenkowski and Gadomski used a pitchfork, a pick and a shovel to break through ice that was an inch or so thick and made their way out to the animal, said Mr. Cornwell. After they took hold of the deer, he and Officer Bopp pulled the boat back to shore.
The entire rescue took about 20 minutes.
It may look like an attack, but town and state police officers are actually using a pitchfork and a borrowed rowboat to clear a path through the ice to rescue a deer that fell in off Nassau Point Friday afternoon.
They placed the animal in a section of beach grass and covered it with a blanket. Mr. Cornwell said it stayed there for about two hours and then stood in place for at least another few hours.
That there was no sign of the deer by Saturday led rescuers to believe it survived the icy ordeal.
tkelly@timesreview.com
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11 comments found
Amazing, Not Funny, But True! : 2/17/2010
Humans are so vain.
What matters is the natural balance between food & shelter and deer & living space.
Humans are the problem. Eliminate the problem and that will be the solution.
Poor argument : 2/17/2010
Oh, I get it, ha ha. Kill the humans, how cute. Ridiculous. Honestly, if you are going to argue a point, at least put forward a real argument. So, you fail on your first try.
Your second try, however, is closer to the mark, except for one thing. I ask you to please post here the name of ANY "natural predator" that has ever hunted deer in Southold in any appreciable numbers. I'd like to see what natural predators you believe that we have here. Then, I'd like you to prove the other point you made, that somehow, a "natural predator" is a "more humane" way of killing a deer. I believe an arrow, or a bullet, is infinitely more "humane" than being torn apart by your so-called "natural predator". Good luck with that argument.
Look, grow up. People are worth more than deer, period. Deer are injuring and killing people. Therefore, the deer have to go, in some way, shape or form. Hunting is simply the most efficient way. If you have a real counter-argument, after responding to my points above, I'd love to hear it.
Kill the humans now : 2/17/2010
As regards the brainless idiot who wrote "Kill them all", I have something to say:
Humans are no longer cute animals that live in houses. They are now hazards to all life on the planet, causing death and injury on a large scale. We should make every effort to eliminate as many of you as possible, in order to save the lives and property of our fellow residents on earth.
I think if we just weed out the violent ones we'll be in good shape.
As regards the deer problem, there are several humane ways of dealing it, including reintroducing its natural predator. Oh, but I forgot, humans want to be the only creatures that kill.
Kudos to the rescuers : 2/17/2010
And a big thank you to the rescuers for showing that there still are a few humane people left out there.
Kill them, Kill all of them : 2/16/2010
How long until this deer winds up dead on Rt 48, wrapped around the front end of your grandmother's Buick? Or worse, how long until this deer, or its progeny, wind up killing another Southold resident?
Deer are no longer cute animals that live in the forests. They are now hazards to human life, which cause death and injury on a large scale. We should make every effort to eliminate as many deer as possible, in order to save the lives and property of our fellow residents.
This is no longer a matter of your hostas being eaten. It is, and has been, a matter of your friends being killed. End it. Kill the deer, now.
Deer rescue : 2/16/2010
Congratulations to all those who participated in the rescue of this poor creature! What a wonderful story and a great credit to our police and other rescuers. We all need to stop worrying about our hostas and the like and learn to live with the animals around us. What would the world be like if we eliminate the animals around us one by one. Thank you to all involved!!
that's the deer : 2/15/2010
that's been mowing down down my hostas. And these clowns rescued it?
Deer rescue : 2/14/2010
I am so proud of the officers that responded and worked so hard to save a animal in distress. Breaking through the ice with a pitchfork to reach out and save it was heartwarming to me. I can only guess to what ends these fine officers would have gone to rescue a human. Bless them and we thank you so very much!
To serve and protect.... : 2/14/2010
Real people doing a lot of hard work. Nice work guys...
Deer : 2/14/2010
I am sorry to have to comment on this story but there was are hundreds of deer starving from lack of food due to winter and then a 23 year old Greenport man has to die from avoiding a deer...We wasted time to save 1 deer from the bay???? People should really start to be realistic and think of an effective way to curtail the number on the North Fork and Shelter Island.
Deer rescue : 2/11/2010
I know that most people in my home town are not "deer fans" but I think it was wonderful for the nice people to call for his rescue and it was great to see the way he was rescued! Kudos to all involved! They are right about it being no way for an animal to die!
