While out fishing with Kodiak Adventures Lodge we noticed 10 yearling Sitka Blacktailed deer trying to swim in 50 deg. water , across over 2 miles of ocean in Kiliuda Bay On Kodiak Island, Alaska
1/2 way they all changed they mind and turned around. 1 little one started swimming circles and got left behind and then went the wrong way. It was not swimming very fast any more. So we pulled the deer on board and followed the other 9 back to shore. We released the deer on shore but noticed another deer could not stand up and get out of the water due to stiffened muscles (beginnings of hypothermia) after struggling for several minutes. We could not just let it lay in the cold water and die. (it was the littlest one) My youngest son Sam jumped out of the boat and carried the deerout of the water and on to the beach where he laid it in the sun to warm up. We watch from the boat for about 20 min. until all the deer got up and walked into the grass. We are glad the story had a happy ending.