Note: This video contains brief profanity. Not recommended for younger viewers.

Here’s a video of two locked bucks stuck under a tree branch on a frozen pond. It
was brought to the attention of D&DH by a reader, and appears to have been
shot in November 2010 in Iowa.

There are a few things to keep in mind when watching this video.

First, should you come across a situation like this, do not bring dogs. Not only will
the dogs’ presence add stress to the deer, but you could end up with injured dogs.
In the video, it appears the hunters were hunting upland birds, so perhaps the dogs
weren’t brought to the scene intentionally.

Second, never place the bucks’ well-being over yours. In the video, a hunter shoots
an antler off point-blank to loosen the locked antlers. Shooting anything at point-blank
is dangerous. Two bucks aren’t worth losing an eye.

Last, keep as many people away from the situation as possible. Choose one person who
will work to free the bucks. Everyone else should leave. This reduces the chances
someone will be trampled or gored. As the video shows, the bucks won’t give you a
kind handshake for freeing them. They will be mad and looking to let you know it.

Learn
why bucks fight like this in the Whitetail Behavior DVD.