David Dunne of Tullamore, Ireland, and his son were in the woods back in January when they spotted a young male deer that had become trapped in a rope and metal fence. How long had he been there? Long enough to twist himself into a real knot, but not long enough to become too exhausted to struggle. Dunne knew that a panicked wild animal can be dangerous, but he took on the task of freeing the deer anyway. It was not easy, as the ropes were tightly wound around the antlers. And once they're gone, then what? Dunne could have been gored right there on the spot. He admits that he was kicked a few times, but it was all worth it when the deer ran away free. And his son caught it on video.
Dunne obviously knew what he was doing, but not all of us would be so lucky. If you were to happen upon a wild animal in distress, the best thing to do would be to call your local wildlife agency and enlist some experienced help.