Men borrow boat to rescue deer stranded on ice

Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A pair of Michigan men borrowed a row boat and rescued three deer stranded for more than 24 hours on an icy lake.

Neighbors said the three deer had been stranded on Fishers Lake, located near the town of Three Rivers, since about 3 p.m. Monday, and police urged residents not to attempt to rescue the animals.

Brian Rice and Marshall Henchel said they disregarded the warning because they couldn't stand to see the animals struggling.

Rice and Henchel borrowed a fishing boat and used ice picks and other tools to reach the patch of ice where the deer were stranded.

The men said they were able to lasso one of the deer and they were able to push the other two to safety across the ice.

Henchel said he knew how to handle the deer because his family owns a white-tailed deer farm.

"I had a good idea how they were going to react. I knew how to go about the situation, go out from behind and try to push them," he told WWMT-TV.

The men said the deer did not appear to be injured.