Buck Rescued From 40-Foot Well

See the dark spot at the bottom of the well? Yep, that’s the buck.

This close-up of the buck shows that the water was up to its back.

Ricky Aaron and his son, Skip, both from Conyers, will never forget what happened in the Putnam County deer woods on Friday, Nov. 6.

They were doing some mid-morning scouting on their 485-acre lease when Skip found an old well and could hear something splashing at the bottom of it.

“We knew it was an animal,” said Ricky.

Ricky went over to his 4-wheeler and got a flashlight.

“First I thought it was coyote or dog, but then I said, ‘That’s a buck,’” said Ricky. “It was just standing in the water and splashing around. The water was up to about the top of his back.”

The top of the well was 3-feet square, but the bottom was 5-feet square.

“I think when he fell in, he probably went in rear-end first and got lodged,” said Ricky. “By kicking and moving, he slowly dropped down to the wider opening below. This would explain him surviving a 40-foot fall and not breaking a leg or other injuries.”

Ricky and Skip attempted to pull the buck up by its 8-point frame with a rope lassoed around its antlers. This failed since the rope wouldn’t secure itself around the wet antlers. Instead, they decided to lasso the rope over the buck’s head and cinch it tight around the back of its head. They tied the other end of the rope to the 4-wheeler and in 15 seconds had the buck to the top of the well.

“We grabbed his antlers, cut the rope and pulled him out on the ground,” said Ricky. “He didn’t kick or anything. We just drug him right on the ground and stepped back. I think he was just completely give out. He had a gash on his head and the blood was dried, so I figure he was in there a day or two.

“He lay there for a few seconds. He got up and went right back down. I think he was disoriented. When he got up the second time (10 seconds later), he just stood there for five or eight seconds like, ‘Now what do I do?’ When he got his bearing, he took off like a rocketship.”

If the 8-pointer stays on the property, he’ll live to see the 2010-11 hunting season.

“I told my son he’s off limits this year. He gets a pass. We’re not going to take that deer,” said Ricky.

Ricky and Skip later sealed the well.

After a 40-foot fall down a well, this Putnam County buck survived thanks to efforts by Skip Aaron (left) and Ricky Aaron.

No need to waste much time thanking the hunters. This confused buck took off like a rocketship.