When it comes to hanging out with his deer buddies and snacking on his favorite treat — crabapples fresh off the trees — a mule deer buck that lives in Rock Springs isn’t about the let anything stop him.
Not even terrible injuries that have left him limping along on three hooves with antlers that are a tangled mess.
What Do We Call Him?
Folks weren’t sure what to call the buck that has limped his way around the southwest Wyoming town for a couple of years and become a local fixture.
So, Rock Springs resident Daxton Staley posted a poll on social media calling on other locals to help him decide on a name.
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Popular options included Eliot after the goofy, one-antlered deer from the animated children’s movie “Open Season.”
Many favored “Lt. Dan” after the character in the hugely popular cinematic tribute to Americana, “Forrest Gump.”
In that movie, Lt. Dan is initially angry and cynical after losing his legs during the Vietnam War, but eventually finds redemption and happiness.
However, one fitting name won out: Steve the Survivor.
Staley said he came up with that name.
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“I was sitting on the couch, and I saw him through the living room window, and I thought ‘Steve’ seemed to fit him. He’s Steve the Survivor,” he said.
How Did He Get That Way?
Quite a few mule deer call Rock Springs home. They frequently move between tasty lawns in quiet neighborhoods and resting spots in the vast, arid lands surrounding the city.
Among the deer, Steve has been popular for a while, Staley told Cowboy State Daily.
Nobody seems to know for sure how Steve got to be the way that he is. But as the story goes, he was more-or-less a normal buck before being struck by a vehicle about two years ago, Staley said.
The accident left the young buck horribly wounded and deformed, but he slowly recovered enough to keep living his best life.
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At first, one of Steve’s rear hooves was “hanging on by just some fur and maybe a tendon,” Staley said. “But then it fell completely off.”
Not to be so easily stopped, Steve continued to limp along on the stump, which eventually calloused over, Staley said.
According to wildlife biologists, head injuries can cause unusual antler growth in deer. That could probably account for the wild and wacky way that Steve’s antlers come in every year.
Bucks start growing antlers in the spring. At first, the antlers are covered with a nutrient-rich membrane called velvet. Once that dries up and falls off, usually in late summer or early fall, the antlers are revealed in their full glory.
The antlers themselves fall off, usually around February, and the process starts all over again with the antlers growing in bigger with each passing year.
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People in Rock Springs are calling this mule deer buck Steve the Survivor. He was reportedly severely mangled when he was struck by a car a couple of years ago. But he has just kept going and living his best life, his favorite food is crabapples. (Courtesy Daxton Staley)
People in Rock Springs are calling this mule deer buck Steve the Survivor. He was reportedly severely mangled when he was struck by a car a couple of years ago. But he has just kept going and living his best life, his favorite food is crabapples. (Courtesy Daxton Staley)
People in Rock Springs are calling this mule deer buck Steve the Survivor. He was reportedly severely mangled when he was struck by a car a couple of years ago. But he has just kept going and living his best life, his favorite food is crabapples. (Courtesy Daxton Staley)
A Few Injured Deer Around Town
Steve isn’t the only deer with old injuries in Rock Springs, Animal Control Officer Lydia Gomez told Cowboy State Daily.
“There are a few bucks that we have been called about,” Gomez said. “Game and Fish is also aware of the deer. They have old injuries, and are able to get around and eat, (so) Game and Fish leaves them alone.”
He’s Not Pathetic, He’s Tough
Some people think Steve the Survivor is pathetic. But Staley doesn’t think that’s the right way to regard the tenacious buck.
“A lot of people have seen him, and some people were talking about how sad it is,” he said.
Steve doesn’t seem to be sad at all, Staley said.
“He’s been munching on the neighbor’s crabapples” and appears to have plenty of energy, he said.
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Staley said when he watches Steve, he doesn’t feel pity. He feels inspired.
“He’s a symbol of perseverance,” Staley said. “He’s definitely a cool deer, and he’s tough.”
Contact Mark Heinz at mark@cowboystatedaily.com
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites, and Trails has officially released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for professional appraisal services to evaluate concession facilities at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyoming.
These appraisals are mandated by 2026 Senate Enrolled Act 27, Section 335, which requires appraisals of the “capital investment” and “ongoing concern” for the businesses known as the Star Plunge and the Hot Springs Hotel and Spa.
Qualified professional appraisers are encouraged to review the full requirements. Proposals must be submitted through the State’s Public Purchase online bidding system by 2:00 p.m., May 18, 2026. To view the full RFP (Number 0270-M), please visit https://www.publicpurchase.com/gems/wyominggsd,wy/buyer/public/home.
For additional information, contact Wyoming State Parks’ Visitor Services Manager Stephanie Dillmon at (307) 777-5734 or by email at Stephanie.Dillmon2@wyo.gov or learn more about Wyoming State Parks at wyoparks.wyo.gov.
When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.
For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.
Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.
The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.
In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.
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These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.
In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.
The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.
In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.
To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.
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Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX
Required Federal Funding statement: This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
