Officer Kevin Zieschang of the Fulshear Police Department in Texas was going about his usual patrol when he received a call that was anything but ordinary.
While it’s not uncommon for people to report dogs being mistreated, this call had a unique twist.
The caller reported a young deer, a buck, tied to a tree in the backyard of a house under construction.
Racing against time, Officer Zieschang arrived at the scene.
But to his surprise, the construction crew had already sprung into action.
They had managed to free the young buck, even removing the rope entangled in his antlers.
It was a moment of relief, but what happened next was truly unexpected.
As Officer Zieschang assessed the situation, he realized that this deer was no ordinary woodland creature.
The construction workers tried to shoo the deer away, expecting it to dart off into the wilderness.
But that’s not what happened.
Instead, the deer approached Officer Zieschang, as if asking for a friendly pat behind the ears.
The entire heartwarming interaction was caught on camera.
“He’s just hanging out, man,” someone can be heard saying in the video.
The footage left everyone puzzled; how did this deer end up tied to a tree in the first place?
The Fulshear Police Department had a theory.
They believed that the deer, affectionately named “Uncle Buck,” had been socialized by humans.
It seemed that people had likely been feeding him, which explained his unusually friendly behavior.
Uncle Buck wasn’t shy; he’d walk right up to people, nuzzling and licking their hands as if he were a pet dog.
The story of Uncle Buck’s rescue quickly caught the attention of local media.
When reporters arrived the next day to cover the story, guess who decided to make a guest appearance?
Uncle Buck himself.
He seemed to relish the spotlight, putting on a show for everyone present.
“He came back to see me!” Officer Zieschang exclaimed to ABC 13.
The deer even cozied up to the cameramen, clearly enjoying his newfound fame.
The person recording the video chimed in, “So, Officer Ziechang is out here with the news media talking about the deer that was tied up yesterday, and during the news conference, the deer showed back up.”
“He’s a good kid. I’m going to call him Uncle Buck.”
Despite Uncle Buck’s friendly demeanor, Officer Zieschang wanted to clarify something important: he didn’t believe the deer was anyone’s pet.
He also issued a warning to the public, urging them not to shoot any deer that might wander into their backyards within city limits.
The police department was concerned about Uncle Buck’s safety, especially if he kept returning to the construction site.
Ultimately, the decision was made to relocate Uncle Buck to a safer environment.
“The young deer was sedated by hand and after a brief struggle, he gently fell asleep.
The deer was placed in a vehicle and transported to a large animal sanctuary in Katy.
‘Uncle Buck’ is now safe and sound and seems to love his new protected home,” the police department shared on their Facebook page.
And so, Uncle Buck’s tale comes to a heartwarming end, leaving us all with a video that showcases just how friendly he really is.