State can't help deer during season

Dingmans Ferry - State game officials won’t tranquilize a deer that could still wind up on a hunter’s dinner table. Last month the Pike County Courier reported a New Jersey woman’s frustrated attempts to get help for a tame deer that had been pierced by a target arrow. The deer frequents her father’s home in Wild Acres, where hunting is prohibited, said Jill Slaski. “It’s been walking around for week with an arrow in its head,” she said. Not knowing who to call initially and therefore calling anyone who might be of help, Slaski search was fruitless until the Pennsylvania Game Commission agreed to investigate. The deer disappeared for a time and Slaski hoped it had been helped or at least put out of its misery. Then her dad called her after Christmas and reported the deer had returned and the arrow was still in place. “Obviously, they just don’t care,” Slaki said. Not true, said Game Commission supervisor Tim Conway, who explained that it’s a bit more complicated. Conway said the most commonly used method of capturing a wounded game animal for treatment is by tranquilization. But commission policy prohibits use of tranquilizers on animals that may be hunted 30 days before, and during, hunting season. “We don’t really know that our tranquilizer drug would be harmful if humans consume it in meat, but we’d rather be safe than sorry, “ he said. The musket and archery season for deer ends on Jan. 16. Additionally, he explained, deer do not generally tolerate tranquilization well and often die during the process. “We prefer to net them whenever possible,” he added. Sleski wants something done as soon as possible. “It’s horrible to see, and scary to think someone is out there, just shooting willy nilly up there at god knows what else.”