Four friends out fishing on the Long Island Sound last Saturday made an unbelievable catch — a deer swimming six miles off shore, reports WTNH News 8 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Rob Kurdy and his friends were on their way back from an afternoon of shark fishing when something strange caught their attention. It was a six-point buck struggling to keep its head above waves in the 58-degree water.

“You could see it shivering. It was barely staying afloat, kind of just going in circles,” he told News 8.

Kurdy, with help from John Kurdy, Lonny Thompson and Courtland Brown, made a decision to help the deer. They tossed out a lifeline and succeeded in lassoing the rope gently around the buck’s antlers. The rope was tied to a boat cleat and they gently dragged it back to a Madison, Connecticut beach at 2 mph, according to Fox 61 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Their rescue mission took more than an hour.

“It’s a life,” Rob Kurdy told WIVB NY.  “I’m not going to let him drown. He was out in the middle of nowhere, shivering and freezing, so we all said, we just can’t let it drown. It was the right thing to do.”

Neighbors brought blankets and jackets to help warm the deer up. After three hours in the sun, the deer was able to stand up and walk away.

NICE!

GREAT NEWS FOR OUR JULY BUCKET FUND GELDING!!!  “READ”, the mustang who was found with a severely embedded halter, has an incredible opportunity!!  He was accepted to Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary!!  He will be forever free!   His hauling fees were steep – just a drop in the bucket adds up!  Thank you in advance!!   To read his story, click here.  To donate (Starbucks?  Cupcake money? ) click here!  Thank you so much for your support!