Hilton Head deer ran around with a bucket on her head for 10 days — and survived

More than a week after it was first reported, the deer wandering Hilton Head Plantation with a bucket on its head is free.

“The deer is now bucket-less,” general manager Peter Kristian said Friday. “Around 2:30 (p.m.) I got a call from the security department saying they successfully de-bucketed the deer.”

Kristian said the doe had not been spotted since the initial sighting on Jan. 24. She was seen again Jan. 31.

Residents reported the second sighting, but when security searched for her in the marsh off Seabrook Drive that day, she was nowhere to be found.

On Thursday, she was spotted again. Security attempted to remove the black plastic jug-like container with an alligator snare but were unsuccessful.

The deer, bucket and all, ran into the marsh.

Friday, Kristian asked security to go look for her again.

They found her in the same spot, and were able to remove the container.

“I’m sure the poor thing is starving,” Kristian said Friday. “She ran off into the woods, hopefully to get her belly full and get a drink.”

The S.C. Department of Natural Resources initially advised the community to leave the deer alone to see if it could free its own head.

Experts said previously a deer in this situation would have anxiety, and could possibly suffer a heart attack.

This story was originally published February 2, 2018 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Hilton Head deer ran around with a bucket on her head for 10 days — and survived."