Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Fire department rescues deer caught on ice at Winsted Lake



For three hours, Ray Mortag watched a doe struggle on the
ice last Friday from his living room window at south side of Winsted Lake.

“It was getting tired,” he said of the animal.
Its movements got slower and slower. Concerned about it, he called the sheriff’s
office and was told they couldn’t do anything about it.

The deer was caught on the ice about halfway between the
city and the point, Mortag said.

He couldn’t just stand by and watch it die on the ice,
so he kept trying to find help.

He called the Department of Natural Resources and left
a message.

Mortag then turned to Bob Bayerl of the Winsted Fire Department
for help.

The department responded with its cold water rescue equipment
in short order.

In addition to helping the animal, it was a chance for
the department to test its cold water rescue equipment, said Fire Chief
Paul Herbolsheimer, including a recently donated rescue boat given by Jason
Telecky.

“The deer didn’t break through (the ice),” Herbolsheimer
said, “but it couldn’t stand.”

Four Gumby suits were used on the ice, which are kind of
like full body life jackets, Herbolsheimer said. The suits are buoyant and
good in very cold water, he said.

The Gumby suit rescuers were Brad Millerbernd, Brad Bush,
Bill Norman, and Jamie Stotko.

This is exactly what the department would use if it had
to rescue a child that wandered on thin ice, Herbolsheimer said.

“We’re crossing our fingers that it will never happen,”
he said.

The fire department is working toward being more equipped,
Herbolsheimer said. The rescue boat used in the deer situation does not
have all the necessary equipment, he added.

“I enjoy nature,” Mortag said. “I have never
seen a deer on the ice before,” he said. The Mortags live on South
Shore Drive.

Mortag thought the deer was one that was previously reported
near town, possibly injured.

The DNR returned his call promptly Monday morning, Mortag
said.

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