Michigan Officials Rescue an ‘Inescapably Wedged’ Deer Trapped Between 2 Highway Barriers

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team successfully freed an adult deer that had become trapped between concrete barricades on a busy Michigan highway.

According to a press release, the incident occurred on Monday, October 13, around 2 p.m., when the deer “became inescapably wedged” in the narrow foot-wide gap between barriers after being hit by a car on Interstate 75. A driver alerted the Auburn Hills Police Department, which then requested assistance from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team.

Officials at the scene determined that the four-point buck had sustained only minor bruising. Both northbound and southbound lanes were temporarily closed while rescuers worked to safely extract the animal.

Using a specialized “technical rescue truck” and straps, the team carefully lifted the deer out of the tight space, taking care to untangle its hooves during the process. The rescue took about an hour, after which the deer was evaluated by Animal Control officers and released back into the wild.

Sheriff Michael Bouchard praised his team’s efforts, saying, “I’m proud of our team, whose skill and determination made it possible to rescue this deer from certain death.”

The sheriff’s office later shared photos of the rescue on its official Facebook page, writing, “In the midst of a busy day, our search and rescue team responded to a call regarding a deer trapped in cement barricades, facing a fatal outcome without expert extraction. Their diligence, training, and hard work paid off, enabling them to rescue the young deer and transfer it to a wildlife rehabilitation center.”

October marks the start of deer mating season, coinciding with shorter days and colder weather. Clay Steele, a naturalist with Lee County Conservation, told local outlet WGEM that this period creates a “perfect storm” for deer-vehicle collisions.

“You have all the crops coming out, the deer are moving around and looking for a new habitat, hunting season is just about to start, or has started in some cases with archery,” Steele explained. He also noted that deer have poor night vision, increasing the likelihood of roadway incidents.

“They see a little bit, so they’re going to be moving around a little bit at night, and sometimes they’ll be moving around during the day,” Steele said. “But it’s really those times when to watch out and slow down.”

Local authorities are urging drivers to stay alert and reduce their speed during mating season, which typically tapers off by late November or early December.