By Wendy Bernshausen
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

In the past month, UH-Clear Lake Police Department's Lt. Derrell Means has rescued a baby deer from the soccer field twice.

The first rescue took place when the police department received a call that a fawn was in trouble. The baby deer had followed its mother into the soccer field at the north end of campus and got trapped inside the fence.

A 5-foot-high chain link fence surrounds the soccer field. Two sides of the fence are adjacent to wooded areas. There are two pedestrian walkways allowing entry and one gate at the far end of the fence that always stays closed.

In this instance the baby deer had become separated from its mother when the mother jumped the fence to retreat back into the woods. The fawn could not clear the fence and was running rampantly along the fence line, butting the fence with its head. "The deer can often find their way in, but have a difficult time finding their way out," Means said.

In order to rescue the deer, Means had to incorporate the help of his fellow officers, Sgts. Debbie Hoffman and Kathleen Van Stavern. Using teamwork, the three officers cornered the fawn against the fence and grabbed it. Means was able to grab the deer by all four feet and released it on the other side of the fence.

A second episode occurred a couple of weeks ago when two more baby deer were trapped inside the soccer field. When Means arrived at the scene, one was able to find an escape route through a space between the fence and fence post. The other fawn remained trapped.

Officer Ralph Verdine arrived at the scene to assist Means with his rescue efforts. They were unable to corner the deer against the fence as had been done previously. The fawn took off running and, in its panic, managed to jump the fence. The deer landed awkardly and fell, but was able to get back up and run into the woods.

"Once the university puts a gate up, the habitat will have an easier way out," Means said.

E. Dan Berry, assistant vice president of facilities management, stated that the university would roll back a 10-foot section of the fence, for now.

"Who knows what [the soccer field] will be used for in the future," Berry said. "I can't see taking down a perfectly good fence. The university may, at some point in the future, add a gate. This section of fence would be large enough for the habitat to see and, hopefully, enable the habitat to leave the field without needing any police intervention."

There are no soccer leagues currently using the field. However, the fence is not being taken down because children within the community use the soccer field.

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