SILOAM SPRINGS -- Friends of Doug the Deer might try Facebook if they want to get hold of him from now on.
State Game and Fish Commission employees used tranquilizers to capture the semidomesticated deer late Wednesday from his home in a wooded area near Dogwood Springs Trail. The deer was taken to an undisclosed location on public land, said Keith Stephens, commission spokesman.
To be friends with Doug the deer on Facebook, go to:
bit.ly/dougdeer
John Brown University students, trail users and neighbors have been taking selfies, feeding and petting Doug since he started showing up around late December or early January. He has more than 2,500 friends on Facebook as Doug Deer.
Doug did not respond to a Facebook message seeking comment Thursday.
The deer had lost its fear of humans, which can become an issue as it gets closer to mating season and male deer tend to become aggressive, said Randy Zellers, assistant spokesman for the commission. Also, once a deer associates people with food, it might start to expect it and aggressively seek nibbles, Stephens said.
Being removed also is better for Doug, which, Zellers reiterated, is a wild animal.
"The deer is better off in the wild not being fed Cheetos and grapes," he said.
University officials contacted the commission to see if Doug's frequent interaction with the public posed a safety risk.
"We are not deer experts, so we trust the expertise of [the commission] that this deer could harm a student or visitor to campus," a post on the John Brown University Facebook page reads.
A group of upset friends of Doug gathered Wednesday morning when Game and Fish employees initially tried to capture Doug. He escaped into the woods.
People throughout the community expressed their displeasure online Thursday about Doug's departure.
Sarah Losh, a Siloam Springs resident who frequents the trail, said Doug's friendly behavior and mysterious scars made him immediately recognizable.
"I think he was fine in his area," she said. "He had a wooded area with a creek. He doesn't normally get out where cars are, and he was not a danger to people at all."
"@ARGameandFish if I get 250 retweets will you bring Doug back?" Twitter user @JohnCSalley asked the commission Thursday morning.
The commission replied, "wish it were that easy."
Friends also flooded Doug's Facebook page with well-wishes.
"Doug Deer, you graced our community with your kind gentle way," one woman wrote. "We will miss you dearly and I hope you will be safe and make new friends in your new home.
Even though Doug has departed, his supporters can sport their very own "Doug is my homeboy" T-shirt. Siloam-based TC Screen Printing offers them for $24.
How Doug got to the wooded area near Dogwood Springs Trail is a mystery. Doug is castrated, so it's possible someone took him in as a pet at some point, Stephens said. Keeping a deer as a pet has been illegal in Arkansas since 2012, according to the commission's website.
Some Siloam Springs residents think maybe someone found the deer injured, which might explain his scarring, and nursed him to health before releasing him in the area, Losh said.
It also isn't clear who is behind the Facebook page.
"That's the million-dollar question," Losh said.
Right now, Doug is in "witness protection," Stephens said, where Game and Fish officials can watch him and hunters can't get to him. That won't be the case when Doug gets released to the larger remote area.
"Nature's a tough world," Stephens said. "We manage those deer herds; we don't manage individuals. We've got a lot of deer in the state and we can't manage all of them."
Stephens said Doug will be fine. The animal's instincts will kick in once he's at his new permanent home, and he'll be in the wild where he belongs, Stephens said.
"It's a wild animal," he said. "Don't you want to see it in the wild? Don't you want it to be healthy, and don't you want to see it thrive?"
Stephens said there was some attempt to find a sanctuary that would take the deer, but for whatever reason the facilities wouldn't or couldn't take him.
"Typically we do not want to put a wild animal in a petting zoo," he said.
Kate Crafton was surprised to hear Doug would be relocated to an area that allowed hunting. In a normal situation, she doesn't take exception to returning wildlife to a habitat that allows hunting, she said.
"In this case, the deer has become accustomed to people and shows very little fear around dogs or other living things that could pose a threat in another environment," she said. "It's illegal to have a wild animal as a pet here, but at this point, his demeanor has become just like any pet.
"While we all miss having Doug around, our hope is that he is safe wherever he ends up."
Perhaps some parting words from Doug can put concerned minds at ease. The Facebook page posted about 9 p.m. Wednesday, soon after he was captured.
"Soon, I'll get to venture into more of the world! I'm sure I'll find a lovely new home, but I'm so sad to be leaving you all," the post reads.
"But no fear, I will find new friends and a new home somewhere just as cozy as Siloam. I'll never forget each of you and the good memories that we shared. Wherever I go, I know that I will be cared for and loved, but this past year will always be special."
Information for this article was contributed by Janelle Jessen of the Siloam Springs Herald-Leader.
A Section on 10/07/2016