Illinois officer rescues deer from icy lake

PEKIN, Ill. (AP) - An off-duty central Illinois police officer and others rescued a deer from a cold Pekin lake after it fell through a thinning layer of ice.

According to the Pekin Daily Times (http://bit.ly/1Dh4fgz), Officer Greg Simmons used a small boat he found on the shore of Lake Whitehurst to reach the deer Friday morning.

Simmons said the deer pulled away from him as he drew closer. He eventually managed to grab the struggling deer by the tail and slip a rope around her neck.

Other officers back on land pulled the boat back to shore with a rope while Simmons held the other rope that secured the deer.

Back on land the exhausted deer collapsed before getting back to her feet and running into nearby woods.

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Information from: Pekin Daily Times, http://www.pekintimes.com