(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers started their Thursday morning with a safe and rescue mission after reports of a deer caught on an electric rope. CPW officers got lucky on Thursday, Oct. 24, when District Wildlife Manager Stephanie Taylor spotted it. Reports said the deer had been seen for several weeks in Bayfield with an electric rope wrapped around its antlers and neck. Officer Taylor darted the deer and removed the electric rope made from nylon rope with metal intertwined. CPW said the rope left a "nasty gash" across the neck of the buck, and found one of the buck's antlers was also broken but still attached to the deer because of the tangled rope. A reversal drug was given to the buck to counteract the tranquilizer and within a few minutes, the buck was back on its feet and free of hazard. CPW reminds Coloradans to take a look around their properties and remove any potential tangle and entrapment hazards for wildlife. Items such as hammocks, garden equipment, and recreational sports equipment like soccer and volleyball nets present a potential danger to wildlife, especially antlered deer, elk, and moose. Halloween decorations and Christmas lights are also a hazard, CPW advises these objects be placed higher than six feet or attached tightly to trees and buildings. Bucks — such as the one CPW experienced on Thursday — are the most prone to situations like these as the rut or breeding season has begun and bucks rub their antlers on objects to mark territory. The rut usually hits its peak from mid-November through December. “We need to know about these situations quickly,” said CPW Assistant Area Wildlife Manager Steve McClung. “It’s best if we can get to these animals before they’ve undergone too much stress and have exhausted themselves. Darting them also creates stress and can lead to mortality if the animal has already been stressed too much." Never try to get an animal out of entanglement, wildlife that is stressed can become more aggressive. Hoover and antlers can cause serious damage. If you see wildlife that needs help or becomes entangled, report it directly to CPW by calling the local office or through Colorado State Patrol dispatch if it is outside normal business hours.