She Moved to Montana and Befriended a Deer. What Happened Next Is Tragic

A woman has told of her tragic experience with a mother deer, whom she comforted for three days in sub-zero temperatures as the animal lay dying outside her rural Montana home after being attacked by a predator.

Tina Williams moved to the state with her military family of seven from Charleston, South Carolina, after her husband retired from the Navy.

The family, who have moved 19 times in total, set up shop near Canyon Ferry Lake—a popular spot for outdoor recreational activities located at an altitude of around 4,000 feet.

"We fell in love with Montana during a cross-country transfer in 2004," Williams told Newsweek. "It aligned with our values and interests."

Arriving during the winter of 2019, the family had not expected to see too many animals. But, while Williams was unpacking their truck, a mother deer with her two fawns appeared, peering around the shed.

Williams, who used to work as a veterinary assistant and wildlife rehabber when her children were young, said the animals appeared to have mineral deficiencies and did not look to be in the best condition.

"[The mother] was overly lean for only a mild December and had vitamin-deficiency signs—unhealthy discolorations and mild sores on the corners of her mouth, not due to wasting disease," Williams said.

"She wasn't coming up for food or affection. It genuinely felt like a plea for help," she added.

Concerned about the welfare of mother deer and her fawns, Williams decided to try to help the animals.

She called a local wildlife rehabber, asking about suitable supplements, and purchased some, placing them in water outside the family's home alongside a salt lick.

The deer began consuming the supplements and, within just four weeks, they had "completely transformed" the appearance of the mother and her fawns, Williams said. "All signs of deficiencies were gone," she added.

Williams later learned that pesticides and poisons are used frequently in the area before tourist seasons because of aggressive weeds.

"Local animals steer clear of these poisons naturally, so go without much-needed vitamins," she said. "I rarely step in and interfere with nature taking its course, but over the past decade, I've noticed society giving less thought and care about other living inhabitants."

Over the next three years, the mother deer, whom Williams named "Shia," continued to visit the home with her fawns, and each year, she had two to three new babies.

During this time, Williams was dealing with an autoimmune disorder involving frequent flare-ups that kept her in bed or forced her to stay home.

"Her early-morning visits with her babies were a nice distraction," Williams said. "I looked forward to watching her be followed by boyfriends, seeing her expecting and sleeping near my bedroom window for safety."

Every now and again, the mother deer would disappear for several weeks, before returning with newly born fawns in tow.

"Deer wag their tails when happy and only allow the trusted few to even breathe near their babies," Williams said.

After three years of consistent visits, Williams saw Shia approaching the home one winter day in November 2022. The animal did not seem to be in a good way—she was limping and her ears were drooping.

The woman saw that she had claw marks on her body and a badly broken ankle—possibly the result of a big-cat attack. Her leg appeared to be infected.

"Deer have survived with injuries, but this one looked bad," Williams said. "I bundled up and went outside to get a closer look. She bolted away but came back. Even after three years, Shia wasn't tame or her babies."

The deer's condition rapidly deteriorated, and the animal was soon unable to move. Williams covered her with a heavy blanket, gave her food and water, and kept an eye out for any potential predators.

"Her babies were crying to be fed, so she attempted to stand, shaking and quivering. [But] she rolled halfway down our property hill. I went outside and recovered her, and she put her head in my lap," Williams said.

It was clear that Shia was not going to survive. "Only in death, did she allow me to hold and feed her."

To put the animal out of its suffering, Williams' husband began calling anyone who might have the authority to euthanize her, but no one was able to carry out the request.

Williams also tried making some calls herself, contacting local vets and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. But the vets told her that she should let nature take its course without intervening, while the wildlife department said it did not have the staff to send someone.

The woman was also told that she was not allowed to put the deer down herself because shooting the animal in a residential area would be dangerous. Also, she did not have a hunting license.

"Temperatures dropped, and it started snowing. Her babies stayed nearby," Williams said.

The woman ended up staying beside the deer for the better part of the next three days with the animal's head in her lap, going back inside the home when she needed to warm up from the sub-zero temperatures. Eventually, Shia succumbed to her fever and pain.

"She died with me around 4 a.m.," Williams said. "It was pitch-black outside, so I brought my lantern and .38, just in case the big cat came down.

"My husband and boys buried her. Her new babies stood closely by. I am not one for crying—not even when giving birth or breaking an ankle, but this had me sobbing with her for days. I never thought I could feel so deeply connected to a deer, but there I was, sobbing in below-zero temperatures until I couldn't catch my breath."

Williams said COVID-19 and her chronic illness had made it difficult to be positive over the past couple of years or so, but seeing Shia and her fawns boosted her spirits.

"She welcomed me to Montana and helped me love life through a long painful illness of my own and a COVID shutdown," Williams said. "She trusted me with her babies—something I will always cherish. I hope she's in a good place, watching me care for her children, past and present, and knowing they are loved and that we miss her terribly."

Newsweek has contacted the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for comment.