Injured deer

[Field28]

You did the right thing, he must've been miserable.

It's amazing how humans will feel sorry for themselves and give up.
Animals don't know those feelings, they gotta get up and get going. No time for self pity, even in domestic animals.

 

[mcaustin]

The waste of the meat was the worst part other than his suffering.

Yep, it's definitely been a strange feeling all weekend knowing there's nothing going into the freezer. It wasn't even a choice after seeing him.

 

[Ridge Runner]

A good decision on your part.
You did that deer a favor by ending its misery.
I hope you get a replacement tag.

 

[Rem280]

Thank you for doing the right thing

 

[mcaustin]

As an update, I finished the skull this afternoon. He's still drying, but I tossed him up on the wall for a quick photo.

I figured it was worth a shot to call the game warden regarding a possible replacement tag, since several people suggested this was a possibility. I left him a voice mail yesterday, and he called me back today. We had a fairly short but good call, during which he explained that once a tag is used, it's gone, and cannot be reinstated in KS.

Basically, if I hadn't been willing to use my any deer (buck) tag, then I should have called him and had him take the deer - I'm not real sure how that would have worked out in a practical sense since the buck was still relatively mobile. I'm completely fine with the outcome and just wanted to give you all the update.

Anyway, I wouldn't change anything about my decision to take the deer, and now it's time to get back out there and get a doe or two!

 

[Hunt anything]

It was worth a try anyway, “trophy” hunt some does that you determine to be at least 4 years old. They can be as cagey as any buck and should taste better.
Unfortunately every tree will have a 180” class buck behind it now!

 

[Ridge Runner]

It was worth a try anyway, “trophy” hunt some does that you determine to be at least 4 years old. They can be as cagey as any buck and should taste better.
Unfortunately every tree will have a 180” class buck behind it now!

LMAO.....Yep!....seems to never fail have a buck only tag and does seem to want to commit suicide by hunter. Have a doe/ antlerless deer tag and the monster bucks come out.

Been there, Done that .....and still doing it. Although only on quota hunts.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As an update, I finished the skull this afternoon. He's still drying, but I tossed him up on the wall for a quick photo.

I figured it was worth a shot to call the game warden regarding a possible replacement tag, since several people suggested this was a possibility. I left him a voice mail yesterday, and he called me back today. We had a fairly short but good call, during which he explained that once a tag is used, it's gone, and cannot be reinstated in KS.

Basically, if I hadn't been willing to use my any deer (buck) tag, then I should have called him and had him take the deer - I'm not real sure how that would have worked out in a practical sense since the buck was still relatively mobile. I'm completely fine with the outcome and just wanted to give you all the update.

Anyway, I wouldn't change anything about my decision to take the deer, and now it's time to get back out there and get a doe or two!

View attachment 724539

That sucks! That you weren't given a replacement tag under these proven circumstances.

On a quota hunt I will give some leeway. Sh't happens and it is what it is. During. season/ statewide/public, private land hunts IMO you should have been issued a replacement tag under the circumstances based on photos and information available that you made the kill shot for humane reasons.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I had this guy show up on a camera recently but hadn't paid too much attention to him until this photo of him on Friday morning.
View attachment 723931

He obviously doesn't look healthy and certainly wouldn't survive the winter. Since I was planning to hunt yesterday morning (Saturday), I decided that if I got a chance, I'd take this buck and get him tested. Yesterday, he hobbled in at about 8:20, stopped short of an open shot, and circled around in the woods. I stopped him broadside in a shooting lane and got an arrow into him at right around 40-42 yards. The impact of the arrow was loud! The buck had very little reaction aside from turning and walking away. The shot looked and felt good, but the lack of reaction had me a little concerned, so I gave him some time before I got down.

I found him no more than 40 yards from where I shot him. He simply walked away and went down from the double lung shot.

View attachment 723929

Once I got up close, the cause of his bad health was obvious. His right rear foot had half of its hoof broken off, was horribly swollen, and full of puss. I tagged and checked him in, then drug him out of the woods.

View attachment 723930

I was concerned about harvesting any meat from him due to the massive infection and his overall condition. In this close up of his foot, you can clearly see the green puss that oozing out of his foot. After speaking with a neighbor, we decided it wasn't worth the risk with the meat and called a game warden who was unfortunately not available. Instead, a deputy sheriff came and wrote me a salvage tag. I've heard from a couple of friends that I might be able to get my buck tag returned or reinstated by Fish and Game, so I'll probably give them a call tomorrow, but even if they say no, I'm fine with the outcome - this guy was clearly suffering and I believe his lack of reaction to the shot may have simply been due to the amount of pain he was already in. He had almost no muscle mass on his hind quarters. I'm glad to see that his health decline was due to an injury and not disease.

For anybody interested in the equipment details: Mathews Halon 6; 73# draw and 263 ft/s velocity (27" draw); ~500gr total arrow weight - Easton Axis; 100gr KuduPoint Contour+ with 25gr Iron Will Impact Collar. The shot was a complete pass through, and the arrow was laying in the direction of flight just passed the point of impact with the buck.

You did the noble thing.

 

[deewayne2003]

You did the right thing.

It amazes me what deer can survive, we shot a doe that had its right leg shot off below the knee by a road poacher 2 seasons previously and was skin and bones…. Easy decision to make when you have 40 doe tags left.

You on the other hand burned a buck tag and did a commendable thing and ended up with a great trophy.

 

[dogcat1]

I say well done! Hard to do but needed. Thanks for being a sportsman.

 

[Datchew]

Handled like a pro. Glad you put him out of his misery

 

[farmer_john]

As an update, I finished the skull this afternoon. He's still drying, but I tossed him up on the wall for a quick photo.

I figured it was worth a shot to call the game warden regarding a possible replacement tag, since several people suggested this was a possibility. I left him a voice mail yesterday, and he called me back today. We had a fairly short but good call, during which he explained that once a tag is used, it's gone, and cannot be reinstated in KS.

Basically, if I hadn't been willing to use my any deer (buck) tag, then I should have called him and had him take the deer - I'm not real sure how that would have worked out in a practical sense since the buck was still relatively mobile. I'm completely fine with the outcome and just wanted to give you all the update.

Anyway, I wouldn't change anything about my decision to take the deer, and now it's time to get back out there and get a doe or two!

View attachment 724539

Whats your process for cleaning the skull?

 

[Quest#1]

Well done.

 

[mcaustin]

Whats your process for cleaning the skull?

I clean/cut as much meat and tendon, etc off as I can. Next, work the brain out with a screwdriver or pressure washer (I've read that you definitely do not want to boil with the brain due to the high fat content, which will stain the skull badly). Then I boil (really more of a simmer) with a little dawn dish detergent and some baking soda for about an hour.

After an hour, take it out of the water and use a knife to remove additional meat, then put it back in for another hour. After the next hour, I'll pull it out and use the pressure washer - then repeat that cycle until all the meat/tendons are gone. I did 3 boil cycles with this guy, using the pressure washer the 2nd and 3rd times - it really helps get all the stuff out of the nasal cavities and remaining brain, etc out.

Then I soaked it in clean water and Dawn for additional decreasing.

Finally, I soak it 40 volume (12%) hydrogen peroxide (being careful to keep the antlers out of it) from the beauty shop for a day or so, until it's bleached white, and then rinse/dry.

 

[GOLK09]

You handled it right, Good job!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I had this guy show up on a camera recently but hadn't paid too much attention to him until this photo of him on Friday morning.
View attachment 723931

He obviously doesn't look healthy and certainly wouldn't survive the winter. Since I was planning to hunt yesterday morning (Saturday), I decided that if I got a chance, I'd take this buck and get him tested. Yesterday, he hobbled in at about 8:20, stopped short of an open shot, and circled around in the woods. I stopped him broadside in a shooting lane and got an arrow into him at right around 40-42 yards. The impact of the arrow was loud! The buck had very little reaction aside from turning and walking away. The shot looked and felt good, but the lack of reaction had me a little concerned, so I gave him some time before I got down.

I found him no more than 40 yards from where I shot him. He simply walked away and went down from the double lung shot.

View attachment 723929

Once I got up close, the cause of his bad health was obvious. His right rear foot had half of its hoof broken off, was horribly swollen, and full of puss. I tagged and checked him in, then drug him out of the woods.

View attachment 723930

I was concerned about harvesting any meat from him due to the massive infection and his overall condition. In this close up of his foot, you can clearly see the green puss that oozing out of his foot. After speaking with a neighbor, we decided it wasn't worth the risk with the meat and called a game warden who was unfortunately not available. Instead, a deputy sheriff came and wrote me a salvage tag. I've heard from a couple of friends that I might be able to get my buck tag returned or reinstated by Fish and Game, so I'll probably give them a call tomorrow, but even if they say no, I'm fine with the outcome - this guy was clearly suffering and I believe his lack of reaction to the shot may have simply been due to the amount of pain he was already in. He had almost no muscle mass on his hind quarters. I'm glad to see that his health decline was due to an injury and not disease.

For anybody interested in the equipment details: Mathews Halon 6; 73# draw and 263 ft/s velocity (27" draw); ~500gr total arrow weight - Easton Axis; 100gr KuduPoint Contour+ with 25gr Iron Will Impact Collar. The shot was a complete pass through, and the arrow was laying in the direction of flight just passed the point of impact with the buck.

Good on you. I’ve seen injured deer and called the game warden about it. They just let them suffer and die a slow death. Sickening. Talking out of season.