A deer that had a pail on its head for more than a week was freed Wednesday afternoon after being tranquilized, say conservation officers.

The deer, which was sighted in the Whiffin Spit area of Sooke, had a plastic pink trick-or-treat bucket stuck on its head.

Conservation officers received numerous reports of the deer over the last week.

On Wednesday, a woman followed the deer until conservation officer Rick Dekelver could catch up with it. The animal was sedated and the bucket was removed from its face.

The deer showed no signs of dehydration or starvation when Dekelver approached it.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure it was dehydrated. I just didnB次元官网网址檛 note it. The deer was high on adrenalin and active from people watching it.B次元官网网址�

Dekelver said was unlikely the deer would have been able to eat or drink with the pail around its muzzle.

ItB次元官网网址檚 unknown how the pail became stuck on the deerB次元官网网址檚 face, but Dekelver said itB次元官网网址檚 not unusual for deer to get caught up in fences, hamocks and garden mesh.

Once sedated, the deer was down for 1.5 hours while the pail was cut off its head. Later, the deer awoke and began eating and drinking before running off.

B次元官网网址淭his is a good news story in that it eneded happily,B次元官网网址� Dekelver said, adding the actions of the residents should be praised.

Anyone who spots an entangled animal or a human-wildlife conflict is urged to report it to the provinceB次元官网网址檚 RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.