[LetOneFly]

That's too bad. Hate to see a big one die like that. It seems sort of odd he was laying up on that timber pile unless the picture is deceiving. I wouldn't think coyotes would drag him up there.

Keep on, keeping on. His genes are there so there should be others.

 

[Boilers]

That's too bad. Hate to see a big one die like that. It seems sort of odd he was laying up on that timber pile unless the picture is deceiving. I wouldn't think coyotes would drag him up there.

Keep on, keeping on. His genes are there so there should be others.

Looks like they got a lot of rain and the water washed him up into that log jam

 

[Bwana]

Great buck, sorry to hear the bad news...time to find a new one.

 

[Alaska at heart]

Deer that die of EHD are frequently found near water. Sorry that it turned out that way. A decade ago I hunted a nice 8 for the entire early archery season, only to find him dead....hit by a vehicle....the evening before firearms season opened. Just part of the gig.....wild animals in an uncontrolled environment. :dontknow:

 

[Sasamafras]

Looks like another shooter in the bachelor group to go after. While that sucks more bucks are out there!


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[Kstigall]

In or near a creek might be a sign of EHD. but it's also a sign of gut injured or systemic infection. The EHD deer I found years ago in my opinion had obviously laid down and died. He could have been hit by a vehicle and received internal damage.

 

[palmatedbuck04]

That blows

 

[Ouachitamtnman]

I think boilers nailed it about the buck being on that pile. Flood washed him up there. The creek is right off the back side of some Fields that get some road traffic, one of which is an old dude that's a notorious poacher from way back that lives down that dead end road. I'd like to think he would've tried to find it but the way it was found, he may have and it died somewhere anywhere down this creek and just washed where I found it. I knew from the get that the old dude would shoot that buck anyhow anyway. He carries his deer rifle and or turkey shotgun around with him year round and has for 60 years. He's one of those that brags about killing 30 turkeys a year back in the 80s and he's got the bag of beards to prove it. Same goes for antlers. Game and fish can't nail him. I'm talking professional poacher. And I find it peculiar that the first time this lady, who is retired and home every day, ever saw this buck coincides to within a week of this deers death. In other words, one of the rarest occasions, when this bachelor group of bucks let their guard down, he ends up going from spry stud of a buck running off with his tail up to within 7 days, dead of EHD. I have a hard time believing it. Especially when you factor in who lives down the same road.

 

[PAbigbear]

That stinks, but be glad you didn't waste your whole season chasing a deer that was dead.

 

[dac]

I always remember what someone said when you are after a certain deer. He said remember they are on a 365 day a year camping trip there is a whole lot of things that can happen to them.

 

[d3ue3ce]

I think boilers nailed it about the buck being on that pile. Flood washed him up there. The creek is right off the back side of some Fields that get some road traffic, one of which is an old dude that's a notorious poacher from way back that lives down that dead end road. I'd like to think he would've tried to find it but the way it was found, he may have and it died somewhere anywhere down this creek and just washed where I found it. I knew from the get that the old dude would shoot that buck anyhow anyway. He carries his deer rifle and or turkey shotgun around with him year round and has for 60 years. He's one of those that brags about killing 30 turkeys a year back in the 80s and he's got the bag of beards to prove it. Same goes for antlers. Game and fish can't nail him. I'm talking professional poacher. And I find it peculiar that the first time this lady, who is retired and home every day, ever saw this buck coincides to within a week of this deers death. In other words, one of the rarest occasions, when this bachelor group of bucks let their guard down, he ends up going from spry stud of a buck running off with his tail up to within 7 days, dead of EHD. I have a hard time believing it. Especially when you factor in who lives down the same road.

I will agree that it does seem suspect, but at the same time, you said there were reports of EHD in your area, and he was found in/near a creek bed. . . . THAT is not necessarily a coincidence either. .

 

[Baldona523]

I will agree that it does seem suspect, but at the same time, you said there were reports of EHD in your area, and he was found in/near a creek bed. . . . THAT is not necessarily a coincidence either. .

Yeah, but hurt deer and especially gut shot deer go to water too. So the fact that he went to water is an even chance of EHD or injured. The loss of blood makes you thirsty, naturally its a way for your body to recover.

With all due respect to EHD and these scientists, unless you are finding other dead deer then most likely he was poached. Mature bucks with large racks are usually in prime physical shape that's how they grow large racks. So it would be abnormal for a mature large racked buck to be the only deer around to get EHD.

 

[d3ue3ce]

Yeah, but hurt deer and especially gut shot deer go to water too. So the fact that he went to water is an even chance of EHD or injured. The loss of blood makes you thirsty, naturally its a way for your body to recover.

With all due respect to EHD and these scientists, unless you are finding other dead deer then most likely he was poached. Mature bucks with large racks are usually in prime physical shape that's how they grow large racks. So it would be abnormal for a mature large racked buck to be the only deer around to get EHD.

I understand how gut shot deer woek...but it soesnt sound like hes done a whole lot of walking creek beds looking for EHD deer either. Assuming that it was poached is just that....an assumption...im not on either side of the fence, but people always think the worse when it comes to a buck they were after, compared to a small buck or a doe. Gives more "closure" than thinking about mother nature taking them out.

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[Baldona523]

I understand how gut shot deer woek...but it soesnt sound like hes done a whole lot of walking creek beds looking for EHD deer either. Assuming that it was poached is just that....an assumption...im not on either side of the fence, but people always think the worse when it comes to a buck they were after, compared to a small buck or a doe. Gives more "closure" than thinking about mother nature taking them out.

Well I agree, but the whole EHD thing is blown way out of proportion plenty of times in my experience also. I've seen guys mention EHD when Jim Bob was talking about it at the feed store on his farm 30 miles away.

Again, if we are talking about the smaller of the 3 bucks I'd be more likely to say EHD here. But when the nicest buck is the one found first then most often times its the most obvious answer and that's a poacher or hit by a vehicle.

 

[apeshot]

That sucks! Hope you see another big one

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[Hunterrich]

sorry to hear about that man he would of been a beautiful buck to have. deer diseases surely do suck sorry about it!

 

[Kevin2]

Bummer...looks like there at least one other great buck.

 

[d3ue3ce]

Well I agree, but the whole EHD thing is blown way out of proportion plenty of times in my experience also. I've seen guys mention EHD when Jim Bob was talking about it at the feed store on his farm 30 miles away.

Again, if we are talking about the smaller of the 3 bucks I'd be more likely to say EHD here. But when the nicest buck is the one found first then most often times its the most obvious answer and that's a poacher or hit by a vehicle.

I would hardly say that it is blown out of proportion. . . Maybe at times, but not for the most part. . . It happens every year across the U.S. Some years are just worse than others. 2012 did a number on deer herds in a lot of states. . . SD is getting hit so hard with it this year, and the Game and Fish Dept is giving refunds in certain areas for doe tags. . .

Its not always a full blown wipeout though. . It can be spotty, and just be a deer here and there. . EHD doesnt care whether its a doe, young buck, or mature buck. . .


Not trying to start an argument, and not saying your opinion is wrong, because you may very well be right on the poaching thing. Just looking at it from a different angle. A lot of people get jaded, and make their own excuse when a buck dies, to make them feel better, and try to bring their own type of closure. Fine either way.

 

[Darrens6601]

If that's where he died and if he were hit by a car . I would think you could examine the carcass for broken bones . I'm not leaning toward EHD if nobody else in area is finding dead deer . He was a healthy deer. I feel bad for you it sucks if I thought I had a poacher killing deer like that I would have to get a metal detector and scan the whole area where he was laying and try to find a bullet. It would drive me crazy. Smh ..


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