By David Fleet
Editor
It’s only mid October but the rut is on, at least for two whitetailed deer.
Earlier this month, a conservation officer responded to two bucks with their antlers stuck together in the front yard along a busy Springfiled Township road. The bucks had been engaged in a fight—common for mid- November and cooler weather. The rut is the mating season for deer seeking does.

A resident first contacted the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, who reached out to C/O Tom Peterson.
“When Peterson arrived there were two eight point bucks just laying there,” said Lt. Todd Szyska, DNR District 9. “One deer was considerable larger than the other and the pair had there for a while.”
According to Peterson’s report the bucks were exhausted and very docile. Using a small saw he cut an antler off and separated the bucks.
“The sad part is the little buck took off running,” said Szyska. “However, as the older buck moved away he died right there, not too far from where they were separated.”
A bystander recovered the older buck and processed the meat.