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Dead deer

Started by doctorb, August 12, 2011, 10:13:04 PM

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doctorb

Real nice night here in Maryland for the middle of August, so we grilled outside and had dinner on the patio, which overlooks the pond.  My daughter, who has much better eyes than I, said, "Dad, could you bring me the binocs?"  She looks down near the dam and says, "There's a dead buck in the water!". 

After dinner was able to throw a rope around one of the velvet antlers (he was a tall racked 5-point) and dragged him out to the middle of the field to let the critters get him.  No broken bones, no gunshot wounds, no sign of trauma or internal injuries.  We just had the edge of the pond cleaned up this week, so this must have just happened today or yesterday.  Any ideas as to why this otherwise healthy young buck was dead in my pond? I had seen him with another young buck a couple of times in the last 2 weeks during my walks to exercise my new hip.  Seemed fine then.  Go figure.

My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

Jeff

Do you have a DNR or conservation department biologist that could come take a look?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

doctorb

Good question, Jeff.  I hate to admit it, but the Maryland DNR has historically been thinnly spread and underfunded.  States like Pennsylvania have much more "population accessible " DNR staff than Maryland.  For example, all DNR police are now under the State Police.  So they interested in unsafe boating, but they are not interested in tresspassing poachers hunting your land.

Long answer to say, I have no idea if a biologist is available to me through the DNR.  The foxes and the coyotes will have that carcass cleaned up before Monday.  And I certainly wouldn't expect to have a biologist here before then!
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

Texas Ranger

DocB, in Texas we have a disease called black tongue, creates a high fever in deer, and they go to water to cool off, and die there.  It usually comes up in over population and summer temps.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

sandhills

Around here it's called "blue tongue" but I'm sure it's the same thing, find them around watering holes.

WildDog

I am not sure how coyotes work their prey, is there a chance he took to water for refuge? Our kangaroos will go to water when the wild dogs/dingoes are chaseing them, often they will try and drown the dogs with their hind legs.




If you start feeling "Blue" ...breath    JD 5510 86hp 4WD loader Lucas 827, Pair of Husky's 372xp, 261 & Stihl 029

doctorb

I would think the coyotes would go after the fawns this time of year.  Ours still have spots, and they would be much easier to catch and kill than a healthy 2 year old buck.  I will look into the "black and blue" tongue disease.  As this deer had no outward signs of trauma, I think that some disease process is more likely than coyotes.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

Norm

It's been my observation when deer are hurt they will go to water. Someone told me they interpret pain as heat and will go stand in it.

Sounds like blue tongue to me.

doctorb

Thanks for the info.  After some reading, it sounds exactly like blue tongue disease to me.  That's what I like about this place.....learn something new every day.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

chain

Last couple of weeks we've had a dozen or so buzzards working an area along the levee. Strange, in that, buzzards are very rare in these parts except a few migrating in the fall. Next time I see them will try to find what they are feeding on, deer most likely, as no livestock around here.

Some farmers say, "a dead deer is a good deer". We've had around thirteen or fourteen deer feeding in our corn and soybeans. One thing I've found, when does bring their fawns out at dusk, I take my four-wheeler and just ride around the edge of the fields, the does get the message real quick...but the bucks...they lay low.

Autocar

Here a number of years ago they had blue tounge in southeast Ohio killing hundreds of deer. This morning I saw a dead fawn laying on the road . Still had its spots,always figured God has a special place for all those little kritters
Bill

chain

I've had the same remorseful feeling about turtles, I think God would have a more special place for them than deer; least, they won't jump through your windshield! :D

ellmoe

  Unless you've had an outbreak of "blue-tounge" in the area, it is unlikely to be that specific disease. As Norm said, deer will often go to water when they are hurt. The deer could have been shot (hard to see a small bullet hole), been hit by a car, or had some other physical injury. An animal that dies of a disease will usually be emaciated and show other signs of illness. So there is probably nothing to be concerned with. However, if other dead or sick animals appear it would be prudent to notify Game and Fish.

Mark
Thirty plus years in the sawmill/millwork business. A sore back and arthritic fingers to prove it!

Weekend_Sawyer


CWD Chronic Wasting Disease has been found in Maryland since 2005. Did it look real thin, worn down?
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

doctorb

Not emaciated or thin in any way.  I went over him with my hands.  I think I would have noticed a broken leg or pelvis from trauma. None was evident.  My hunting friends also said that a 22 caliper bullet hole would be easy to miss.  Maybe it was acute lead poisoning! ;)
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

Texas Ranger

Several years ago I came across a still warm doe.  We were marking timber on a tract that edged up onto an east Texas back woods community.

I found no obvious wounds, but figured since it was still warm, someone was watching me.  We moved on.  Next round through, the deer was gone.

Some of the old back woods type have little truck with the law.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

VT_Forestry

I can echo everyone else here and say with pretty high certainty that it was blue tongue.  As a regional water provider, we get quite a few swelled up in the reservoirs...sooner or later they will let me start a hunting program around here  ::)
Forester - Newport News Waterworks

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