Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1916-03-16
DEER IN DISTRESS
MAN THEIR FRIEND
WATER AND ICE TRAP DENIZENS
OF WOODED FLATS-DEER
HELPLESS ON SMOOTH ICE
ARE RESCUED AND
BROUGHT TO WILLISTON
Difficult Task of Getting Perishing
Animals To Land Aided by
Game Wardens

W OluVuS
The peculiar conditions brought
about by the flood and the quick
freeze mean distress and peril to
many of the creatures of the river
low lands. A traveller from Fairview,
Mont, located in the valley of the
Yellowstone, tells of the strange sight
of two deer, a coyote and jack rab-
bit huddled together on a straw
stack, the yellow flood, thinly ice
coated all about them.
The deer are probably the greatest
sufferers. Wary and instinct gifted
as they are, the treacherous waters
have proven in many instances too
much for them. Deer in North Da-
kota are protected by law until 1920
but man made laws are not needed
by the Missouri river.
"Wild as deer" but a few days
ago, ready to flee with lightning
swiftness from the sight Of man, it
was indeed a strange sight to see the
unhappy white tails comparatively
tame, submissive to the hands of men.
Baffled, discouraged and weakened,
some of them seemed almost to well
come the coming of their rescuers.
Others, retaining some strength put
forth valient but vain efforts to es-
cape from their supposed enemies.
Ice Their Undoing
The rapid thaw of last week sent
torrents of water into the Missouri
putting it over it's banks and break
ing up it's still solid ice which gorged
in places causing the floods to spread
wider. BY the time the big water had
reached here March had changed it's
mind and the temperature dropped
almost to zero causing the slack wa
ter on the flats to freeze over quickly
The deer sought the higher spots and
the water backed around them-and
then froze, smooth as glass. The
trapped victims could not wade or
swim against the thin sharp coat and
after it became thick and strong they
could not stand up on it with their
small, smooth hoofs. In many in
stances they had no spots of earth
left and lay PROSTATE on the ice,
numb with cold. This situation does
not apply to all the deer in the bot
toms for many have been seen on the
hills. Near the Sharpe ranch, three
miles east of town it is reported that
18 were counted.
Rescue Work Begins
Tuesday, Bert Scace and his neigh
Dor Mr.. Dalton, on their way in from
their farms. discovered a buck on the
ice near the Great Northern track
about two miles west of town. They
threw a rope over it's neck and got
it to solid ground. 1t had been
through a wire fence and was badly
wounded but they got it to town. 1t
was very weak and thick coats of ice
were frozen on it's sides from having
lain in the freezing water.
Wednesday a party of over twenty
went on hand cars to point west of
Todd siding where train men report
ed having sighted about a dozen deer
a mile or more from the railroad. The
animals were there but the ice was
still thin and the water beneath both
deep and chilly. Several took invol-
untary baths. w. S. Davidson and
E. w. Blaisdell were the first to sue
venture the passage and
reach the deer. But the best that
could be done was to get two off the
ce. These were brought to town in
he caboose of a passing work train.
Game Warden Comes
State Game Warden E. B. Nc !
Cutcheon having been notified came
o Williston from Minot on No. l
his morning bringing dputy from
stanley. The warden, assisted by
captain Bailey, organized force to
omplete the work of rescue. The
ce had frozen thicker during the
light and after a strenuous day the
Whole lot, so far as could be discov-
red, were brought to Williston.
In all, an even dozen, nine bucks
nd three does, have been brought to
own, but one, the first brought in,
led of it's wire cuts and the ex-
osure. Aside from their rough ex-
erience of the past few days, they
re in fine condition and show no ef-
ects of the severe winter.
Will Be Kept and Protected
The game warden thoroughly ap-
roves of the deer being kept, cared
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