A buck that was wandering Oak Bay near the Uplands Golf Course with an arrow lodged in its leg was located on Tuesday.
The deer was spotted at Uplands Golf Course and B.C. Conservation Officer Services attended with a veterinarian. The large animal was sedated and the arrow removed at about 3 p.m.
CO's caught up with a deer that had been spotted in #OakBay with an arrow in its side. CO’s safely sedated the deer & removed the arrow. The deer walked away soon after. If you have info on this incident, please call the #RAPP line. Thanks to the public for their help #Victoria pic.twitter.com/mgw15UkYyK
— BC CO Service (@_BCCOS) December 23, 2020
“We tracked it to a yard within a block of the golf course. We sedated it there with a dart. It walked out a short distance and then fell over,” said conservation officer Peter Pauwels.
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The vet examined the wound which, due to the depth of the arrow puncture, can not be stitched up. The vet also cut away necrotic (dead) tissue from the wound to allow it to heal.
“[The wound] needs to drain. The vet gave it a saline rinse and a shot of antibiotics, that’s about all you can do,” Pauwels said. “Fortunately, it’s in a position where it will drain, at the bottom of the chest.”
The buck walked away soon after, about five days from when it was first witnessed with the arrow Dec. 18.
During the sedation, the buck was also given an ear tag to monitor its health. Many residents are familiar with the animal and can forward its current health status.
“Hopefully [we can] get some updates on if it makes it or not,” Pauwels said.
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It’s the first time Pauwels has helped remove an arrow from a deer that walked away. Previously, Pauwels had only removed arrows from deer that were severely injured and then euthanized.
Anyone with information regarding the illegal shooting of the buck can call the RAPP line, 1-877-952-7277.
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