Dead Deer

oldballs · Sep 25, 2019

Fellow TBN'ers,

While mowing this afternoon and noticing many Turkey Vultures soaring over my hedge row, I came upon this 8-Point buck with and arrow embedded in his midsection. I've never hunted deer, but wish the shooter would have found this creature, because it stinks something terrible. Comment if you wish.

Mike

Diggin It · Sep 25, 2019

Call your state's fish and wildlife people. They track things like that.

Tomtint · Sep 25, 2019

This time of year, probably a poacher. AKA scumbag.

RNeumann · Sep 25, 2019

Kansas archery season looks like it’s open from Sept 16-Dec 31. With youth and disabled seasons before that. The hunter either lost the deer or he/she didn’t want to trespass on your land to get it. Based on the shot I don’t think the deer ran more than a few properties. If you know your neighbors I’d ask around- they may be interested to know you found it.

It doesn’t look like poaching to me.....

Code54 · Sep 25, 2019

Dont know if it is poacher as I believe it is archery season in a lot of states. Looks like a bad shot, a little too far back. Easy to have happen if the person is not a hardcore archer. Deer could have been walking and the shot was a little late. Happens a lot in archery season. Hate when it happens but sometime they get away. Deer are amazing tough and will push on after being shot, sometimes for a far distance. A poor shot leaves a poor blood trail so makes finding it much harder (and some people just don't really look every hard with is just plain wrong but.....)

5030 · Sep 25, 2019

Nothing better than a bloated maggot infested rotting carcass to stink up a hedgerow....

If you cannot get the local road department to remove it, cover it with lime and that will help decompose it and cut the stink.

/pine · Sep 25, 2019

Many hunters do not realize this but a hunting license is not just a license to shoot game...
It is the responsibility of the hunter to make every possible attempt to recover shot/injured game...When you sign your license you are agreeing that you have read and understand all the laws pertaining to harvesting game...Not all the laws are printed on the license but they do exist...

Not to say that some game does not get away it happens...but most sportsman make valid efforts...have no way of knowing the circumstances of this kill but it is a shame such a nice specimen was wasted...

The vulture populations always go up around archery season...Personally I think an archer should be have to prove they can regularly hit inside a paper plate at 40 yards +/- before they are issued a license...

drssg · Sep 25, 2019

I had a similar issue, but it was floating in my pond. There was no arrow, but there was a large hole near the belly. I'm not a hunter, but I understand that deer will run into water after they are hit.

I had to get the row boat to get at it and shove it towards the shoreline. That, of course, disturbed the internal bloating and released a lovely smell. From there I managed to drag it to shore and into the FEL. I dumped it just inside the woods, and by the next morning, it was drug back out into the field. I'm guessing coyotes. From that point, it was gone pretty quickly, except for a few bones.

k0ua · Sep 25, 2019

Code54 said:
Dont know if it is poacher as I believe it is archery season in a lot of states. Looks like a bad shot, a little too far back. Easy to have happen if the person is not a hardcore archer. Deer could have been walking and the shot was a little late. Happens a lot in archery season. Hate when it happens but sometime they get away. Deer are amazing tough and will push on after being shot, sometimes for a far distance. A poor shot leaves a poor blood trail so makes finding it much harder (and some people just don't really look every hard with is just plain wrong but.....)

^This. Sadly it happens. Just too far back. That deer could have traveled a good distance. Blood trail would have been poor.

shooterdon · Sep 25, 2019

A hunter cannot trespass to retrieve an animal.

Nice deer to go to waste.

I will never bow hunt. My hunt camp wants me to but I will not take the chance of a poor shot on an animal. I am a good rifle shot and have never lost a deer. But I do not take risky shots

MossRoad · Sep 25, 2019

Tomtint said:
This time of year, probably a poacher. AKA scumbag.

Not in Kansas...

Kansas 2019 DEER SEASON DATES:
Youth and Disability Season: Sept. 7 - Sept. 15
Early Muzzleloader Season: Sept. 16 - Sept. 29, 2019
Archery Season: Sept. 16 - Dec. 31, 2019.....

oldballs · Sep 25, 2019

Thanks Gents,

Think I'll get 2-3 bags of lime to cover the animal. As big as that is, the smell could last several weeks. I thought about contacting some neighbors, but don't see much point in it. And it might cause me more lost time/trouble than it's worth.

Mike

Ford850 · Sep 26, 2019

I'd drag it out to where the vultures could get at it and let them feed for a few days. Then cover with lime if you still need to.

Diggin It · Sep 26, 2019

Diggin It said:
Call your state's fish and wildlife people. They track things like that.

A legitimate hunter may have reported it lost and the state may be looking to document where it ended up.

coldsteelva · Sep 26, 2019

Did you look closely? Ethical/legal hunters are supposed to have their identifying information on their arrows. Yank that sucker out and see if there is a phone number and then call the fish and game dept

oldballs · Sep 26, 2019

Ford850 said:
I'd drag it out to where the vultures could get at it and let them feed for a few days. Then cover with lime if you still need to.

That's even better. I've seen what a dozen Vultures can do to a carcass after a few days....not a whole lot left.

Ford850 · Sep 26, 2019

Ford850 said:
I'd drag it out to where the vultures could get at it and let them feed for a few days. Then cover with lime if you still need to.

oldballs said:
That's even better. I've seen what a dozen Vultures can do to a carcass after a few days....not a whole lot left.

They've probably been circling the area, keeping an eye on it and waiting for it to get ripe.

Thomas · Sep 26, 2019

Any ID on the arrow?
NH your name address on arrow that way hunter responsible even removing dead deer like in your case...or fish and game.

CobyRupert · Sep 26, 2019

RNeumann said:
Kansas archery season looks like it's open from Sept 16-Dec 31. With youth and disabled seasons before that.... .

Code54 said:
A poor shot leaves a poor blood trail so makes finding it much harder (and some people just don't really look very hard, (this) is just plain wrong but.....)

I don't see how the state could expect disabled people to track a deer.

By definition, disabled means: "having a physical or mental condition that limits movements, senses, or activities.

Is the state just plain wrong?

oldballs · Sep 26, 2019

I don't plan on going back there for a few days and will let you all know about the arrow. The buzzards are really busy out there this morning.:licking: