Oh Deer

The Pennsylvania Game Commission has begun receiving calls about a deer with a headache.

The calls come in to Eric Horsh, wildlife conservation officer for Cumberland County, who has not been able to capture the deer. It seems to have a large brown or gold plastic ball stuck on its head — a lawn ornament or possibly a Halloween decoration, Horsh says.“From the size, it may be a yearling.” He adds, “I’ve never seen anything like it” in five years as a wildlife conservation officer.

He hopes to get close enough to grab or rope the deer. A tranquilizer gun is not an option since the drug would make the deer unfit for human consumption for up to 30 days should it be harvested legally during hunting season.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission asks anyone who has seen a deer with a pumpkin head to call 1-814-643-1831.