Video: A Deer Went Swimming In Lake Michigan & Now We've Seen Everything

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jun 1, 2017 4:40PM

We've seen coyote roam curiously on the Northwest Side and Buick-sized rats scurry along alleyways all across the city, but this is an absolute first for us in terms of Chicago wildlife: a deer was seen swimming along in Lake Michigan earlier this week, and now we think we've officially seen it all.

The clip, which DNAinfo posted about earlier today, was captured by Edgewater resident and amateur YouTuber CJ Danner, according to WGN.

Danner told the station that he filmed the doe for some 45 minutes on Tuesday as she appeared to try to find a perch from which to leave the lake, near the shores of Montrose Harbor. (Others were following the deer along, including a police officer, and at least one watcher dialed 911, so please don't "bystander effect" the guy to death.)

The group wasn't sure if they should hop in try to rescue the deer, but amazingly, a gaggle of geese showed up and soon set everything right—making enough of a squawking ruckus to shoo the deer up the rocks and out of the water.

Apparently within hunting circles it's relatively well known that deer are very capable swimmers—note those robust legs—and will sometimes take to bodies of water for safety. This dive maybe didn't turn out quite as the little one planned, but it worked out in the end. And now we all get to check another box off our Chicago bizarro-nature bucket list.

[H/T DNAinfo]