Two Men on Hovercraft Save Deer Stuck on a Frozen Lake

A new advertisement for GoPro video cameras not only showcases the device’s capabilities but also displays the kindness of a few Minnesotans.

KAAL TV, the ABC affiliate in southeastern Minnesota, posted a story on Facebook about a couple of deer stranded on ice covering Albert Lea Lake in Freeborn County. One of James Kenison’s friends “tagged” him in the thread. Kenison’s family business is MedCity Hovercraft. The company specializes in all things hovercraft: from lessons and tours to sales and rescue missions.

“I knew right where it was,” Kenison told HLN TV of when he saw the story. “It’s kind of an hour west of where I live. My dad actually lives in Albert Lea there.”

Kenison and his father headed out to the lake and expected the worse, as the deer were on the lake for a few days. But when they arrived, the animals were simply laying flat on the ice.

Wearing an HD Hero 3 camera, Kenison recorded the rescue mission that he and his father embarked on. The duo rode their hovercrafts on to the lake, tied up the deer, and brought them back to land. In all, the Henison’s saved three deer.

According to the GoPro ad, all three returned to the forest after a bit of rest.

The video first surfaced on Kenison’s Facebook page. When the camera company caught wind of it, they decided to reach out to Kenison and obtain the footage.

“GoPro: Hovercraft Deer Rescue” has been viewed over a million times and has north of 13,000 likes since its upload last week. The rescue took place in December of last year.