Arizona wildlife officials help free baby deer from thorny situation

A couple weeks ago a baby deer found itself in a precariously thorny situation, according to Arizona wildlife officials.

BY ROXANNE DE LA ROSA

Mar 17, 2025, 1:00 PM

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PHOENIX — An Arizona wildlife officer came to a baby deer’s rescue after it found itself in a precariously thorny situation a few weeks ago.

The wildlife officer was called out to Chloride, a town northwest of Kingman, about a baby deer covered in cactus spines, according to a Monday news release from Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

How did an Arizona wildlife officer help the baby deer?

AZGFD wildlife officer Troy Moody reached out to the person who made the report and learned that the little deer would visit their property every afternoon. Moody found other deer, but the little fawn was nowhere to be seen.

Minutes later, Moody saw the baby deer and its mother approaching the property. The fawn had hundreds of Cholla cactus spines all over its body, including clumps across its face.

Moody sedated the fawn and removed the spines as its mother watched from a distance.

“Most concerning were the spines in the fawn’s eyelids, nose and mouth, keeping it from eating or drinking. Thankfully, no Cholla had entered the fawn’s eye and there was no lasting injury,” Moody said in the release.

It took a while, but Moody was able to remove all of the spines from the baby deer, which was then reunited with its mother.

“AZGFD is proud of Officer Moody for putting his own comfort aside and going the extra mile to make sure that this fawn could return to a normal life,” AZGFD Kingman supervisor Karen Klima said in the release. “It’s part of the department’s mission to conserve and protect wildlife.”