Trooper Martin with the baby deer in hand. Photo: Courtesy Massachusetts State Police
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — An off-duty state trooper in Holyoke is credited with saving a baby deer on the highway in the middle of fawn season. State Police say Trooper Timothy Martin was recently on his way home from the Northampton Barracks when he came upon a traffic jam on I-91 South.
The trooper got to the front of the traffic to see what the commotion was. State police say once he got there, several drivers were trying to corral a scared young fawn that was running around in middle of the highway.
Read More: MassWildlife Warns, 'Don't Be A Fawn-Napper'
Martin "channeled his speed and agility, reminiscent of his younger days as the captain of his high school dodgeball team," and seized the wayward deer. He deposited the creature in a safe place off the highway where it could find its mother.
June is baby deer season in Massachusetts, when fawns are born and begin to grow. Contrary to popular belief, MassWildlife says baby deer aren't abandoned by their mothers if a human touches them. However, the state did warn against "fawn-napping" baby deer that are safely tucked away as their parents graze.
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