KENT COUNTY, Mich. – Kent County corrections officer Brad Lyons didn’t think twice about jumping into Pratt Creek Lake to separate deer who were tangled together.
It all started Wednesday when insurance agent Mark Johnson spotted the deer tangled up in a farm field northwest of 84th street and Alden Nash Avenue.
“I called my buddy, Brad Lyons, I’m like ‘Brad, I think we got two bucks locked up. I think we need to do something,’” said Johnson.
As a hunter, Johnson knew the situation would be dire without assistance.
“They can’t break apart, so they either die from exhaustion or starvation or sometimes even coyotes would come in and do it,” said Johnson.
When Lyons got Johnson’s message he rushed over to help. Lyons came out with ropes and brought Bowne Township supervisor Randy Wilcox with him along with a tree limb saw.
The deer tried pulling away from the rescue crew and eventually fell into the creek.
“Getting them in the creek was the best thing that could have happened,” said Wilcox.
Lyons said the deer were helpless and it was their chance to make a difference that day. His wife was able to shoot footage of the entire rescue scene.
Watching the deer run free made it all worth it. The sawed off antler was kept as a trophy.
“We’ve all got our equipment ready to go, it’s the middle of deer season, but this was not fair. It was not an honorable way to send out two monsters like that,” said Lyons.