Skinny deer

[Terry]

I shot a doe Monday and she was really skinny. Her spine was almost protruding through her skin. I have never seen this in a doe, especially early season. Should I be concerned?

[NYBowhunter]

She does look a little on the thin side, if your concerned should contact local DEC office.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

What part of the state are you from? She is thin. She might have had trips and that used her up this summer but i doubt that. I would take her to dec and let them look at her and they will take a sample to test her. They will issue you a new tag im sure!!

Better safe than sorry!! She should be fat and full of loins!

[pawle76]

She might have early stage of CWD

[Terry]

I shot her in northern Cayuga county. Unfortunately due to the warm weather, she is cut up and in the freezer already. I have all the meat separated, but the head is long gone. I believe the DEC needs brain tissue to test for cwd. Definitely a foolish mistake on my part.

[ants]

I don't think she should be that skinny. Her neck looks like a pencil.

[Fletch]

Did she have fat in her? Any other signs of disease or distress? Actions before she was shot? Other injuries, sores or smells not usual when you processed her?

If nothing out of the ordinary except she was a bit skinny I would have no issue eating it. She might of been the runt of twins or tiplets.

[Terry]

Her one eye was injured. It had a white opaque look to it. She seemed fine and was eating right before I shot her. It looked like she might have been still nursing

Edited October 4, 2012 by troutfisher13111

[Paula]

seems like you should have asked these questions before putting her in freezer.

i wouldn't eat her, why take the chance.

Edited October 4, 2012 by paula

[Terry]

seems like you should have asked these questions before putting her in freezer

Agreed. Timing was bad though, I needed to get her to the processor.

[First-light]

Ask the processor. If it was a sick deer I'm sure he would not of cut it up. See what his thoughts are. I shot a deer years ago that had a hole in its hoof, totally screwed up the bottom part of his leg. He was limping badly so I put him down. Upon inspection of the deer his hoof was infected and one eye was glazed over. Took him to the processor and asked if the deer was ok to eat. He said it was fine. I'm here to tell the tale, so be it.

[WNYBuckHunter]

When you cut her up, did she have a good amount of fat on her or no?

The one I shot Monday had a bunch of fat on her. Its a little hard to tell just how thin she was from the pic you posted though. Any other pics, perhaps of her just laying on her side?

Edit** I missed where you said you took it to a processor. They would have recognized it as being sick or unusable.

[nyantler]

When you cut her up, did she have a good amount of fat on her or no?

The one I shot Monday had a bunch of fat on her. Its a little hard to tell just how thin she was from the pic you posted though. Any other pics, perhaps of her just laying on her side?

Edit** I missed where you said you took it to a processor. They would have recognized it as being sick or unusable.

Yes they would have recognized it as unusable.. as for CWD... there has only been two known cases ever in NY and both were captive deer.. so I doubt highly that it has CWD...

[Fletch]

Tell ya what, I will do this out of the kindness of my heart. Get it made into snack sticks and send it to me. I will eat them and let you know!

[GreeneHunter]

Tell ya what, I will do this out of the kindness of my heart. Get it made into snack sticks and send it to me. I will eat them and let you know!

LOL .... What-a-guy !

[SteveNY]

How did her internal organs look? Especially the liver, look normal and healthy? No spots or abnormal growths or colors?

Did you cut the heart open? It should not have any discoloration or abnormalities.

[Terry]

To my eyes everything looked fine.

[erussell]

Ebola virus! If you start running a fever and bleeding from you nose and eyes I would go to the doctors quick.

[Elmo]

Seen a bunch of really anorexic ones of the Saw Mill Expressway. They also had a grayish coat instead of the usual light brown.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Greyish coat is their winter coat. 100% normal.

[mac]

yah lots of slender grey does out there, look like weimaraners grazing

[Elmo]

Is it kind of early? Other deer I see elsewhere still brown.

[WNYBuckHunter]

No, they dont all grow in at the same time. Some will be in their winter coats already, others are still shedding their summer coats.

[Terry]

I contacted someone at the DEC region 7 wildlife division yesterday and left a detailed message. No call back yet. Assuming it will be next week before I get a call.

[squirrel slayer]

not to be an ass but kinda seems like maybe you just shot a young doe and maybe should have let her pass by til next year. or as someone else said may have been the runt of a litter. hard to tell n dont fully know your position but i think that small this early id have passed on her. who knows tho maybe she had something keeping her from gettin any bulk and you did the local herd a favor by getting her out. congrats on the freezer n some meat tho.