After more than two seasons of tracking a doe with an arrow through its muzzle in Marlboro and vicinity, staffers of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife finally succeed in easing some of her pain.

Marlboro doe freed of arrow shaft through muzzle (NJDEP)
Marlboro doe freed of arrow shaft through muzzle (NJDEP)
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Kim Tinnes, Joseph Burke and George Garbaravage accessed private property near Suffolk Way in the township, and used corn to lure her close enough to tranquilize her with a dart gun and snip away the shaft, according to information from state environmental officials.

The deer had been spotted frequently since last winter. The arrow was reported in December, authorities said, but they're unable to determine how long it had been lodged in her snout.

Injured doe in Marlboro recovering from anaesthesia (NJDEP)
Injured doe in Marlboro recovering from anaesthesia (NJDEP)
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She is estimated to be three or four years of age. The wildlife experts said that she appeared to be healthy and showed no signs of stress or weight loss.

She even became pregnant in May, which was when staffers temporarily stopped trying to sedate her, and eventually produced a fawn. Efforts to find and tranquilize the doe resumed last week.

Removing the shaft mitigates the risk of interference with branches or other protrusions that could aggravate the injury. A veterinarian advised against trying to remove the head, noting that the wound healed around it.

After the procedure, mom and baby were released back to the wild, and officials say her survival prognosis is good.

"We thank all of the New Jersey residents and people from all over the world who have expressed concern about the deer, as well as local residents who have been very helpful in providing information on her movements throughout the community and even set up bait stations on their properties," said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Chanda in a prepared statement. "Tracking the whereabouts of any single animal is difficult under any circumstances, and this doe was no exception."

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