SUBLETTE COUNTY, Wyo. — Every living thing is important to law enforcement, who are sworn to protect and serve even when that includes the four-legged variety of their citizens.
As Sublette County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Hays was traveling to Pinedale for training yesterday at around 12:45 p.m., he noticed a deer struggling to free itself from a pond that had partially iced over near Daniel. He radioed to dispatch that he was on scene and was soon joined by Sublette County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Peterson who was on duty at the time.
Deputy Peterson activated his body camera. around 12:45 p.m. about a deer that had fallen through the ice into a pond near Daniel.
A few deputies on the force, including Hayes, just happen to carry ranch ropes in their patrol vehicles which they may use to help get livestock off roadways. Deputy Hays had two ropes with him at the time. He tied one end of the rope off to a tree so he could test the stability of the ice to ensure it would support his weight as well as Deputy Peterson.
But as Hays crept out onto the thin ice, the deer became frightened attempted to swim away from him. Peterson gathered the first rope and went to the opposite end of the open water to haze the deer back toward Hays who was eventually able to lasso it and drag it up onto the ice and out of the pond.
Deputy Hays said he made sure large to have a large enough loop for the deer to get a leg through so the rope wouldn’t be around the deer’s neck.
The deer was cold and exhausted so Deputy Hays carried it over to the asphalt blacktop where he hoped it would warm up quicker. Deputy Hays drove back by the area after his training that afternoon to check on the deer and noted it had left the area on its own.
Great job, deputies! Is team roping in your future?
