Bummer

[Five Seasons]

Wanted to share a bit of a bummer story with you all. This morning was an obvious washout in 8F, but the weather broke a little this afternoon. My oldest had a football game at 4 and I needed to be there at 3. I wanted to work on putting in a quick field edge stand and didn't want to waste the whole day.

Anyhow I pulled into the lease. The access road has a large "yard" kinda field and I see a big ass deer just laying there. WTF? They don't hunt... and I stop and realize it's one of the better bucks on the property. I get out and walk the 30 or so yards and see no wounds. I flip him over... nothing. Blood out the ass and mouth and a small puncture that doesn't even break into the muscle.

There's no sign of an accident, but it's an obvious road kill. I'm just gutted. These things kill me... and yeah it's worse when it's a nice big buck. I call the DEC for a tag. His stomach is bloated but he's barely riggored up. I'm thinking early morning hit. DEC is on the other side of the county. Says drop him a pin and text some pics. I tell him I'd like to take the rack. He says he will call me back. I drag the buck into the orchard. 

I have "treestand gear" and no buck knife, so I use my multi-tool to cut the neck and my pruners (which is what i use anyhow) to sever the spine. He's pretty warm still... stinks like guts but again I can't really tell where he was hit. At this time I decide to save the back straps. DEC calls back. I'm like, hey I'm trying to save some meat too. He's like I get it, you're not calling because you're doing something illegal. We agree to meet up for tags in the AM. Props to an officer using some logic and helping a citizen.

Anyhow, some of the backstrap is a little hemorrhaged which makes me think hit on the side/neck. But he was a good 150 yards from the road. I didn't have the time or desire to keep skinning. Oh and I lost my wedding ring, had to drive back and found it with a metal detector. geez

this is how i found him

 

[Paula]

Dam, that's too bad

[wolc123]

That sucks and I know his you feel.  Last year a big one got hit in my front yard around this time.  When I got home from work, the horns had already been sawed off.  I think it was a 3.5 year old 10 point that I had seen multiple times from when it was in velvet.  I dragged the carcass back to my butcher waste pile for the coyotes.   

[Lawdwaz]

Yea, bummer for sure.

I had a friend pick up a road kill one time and called me, all excited and it also was a nice buck.  He asked me to come over and take a look at and see if I thought it was salvageable.  I met him at his house and he pulled it out of his truck.  Besides the fact that every leg was broken the poor buck's rib cage was flattened out.  I told him I had zero interest in doing anything with that deer and I strongly suggested we put it back in his truck and ditch on a poorly lit road in the country.  NFW was I touching that thing, it was mush.    Fugg the horns too..........

[Cabin Fever]

Yeah that sucks! I hate to see one lost to a vehicle! He was a dandy too...

[Jeremy K]

I know how it feels . It sucks.

[sodfather]

Well Did your Oldest win his game ? 

[Waterfowler]

Never seen one die in that position before. Hope the backstraps are good. Btw, don’t need any kind of saw or clippers, just twist and pop.

[Five Seasons]

Well Did your Oldest win his game ? 

He did playoff bound!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

It is odd indeed that it wasn’t massive carnage. I really think maybe he was just clipped. I have no other explanation for him just being dead in that position. He looked like a totally healthy deer so I’m not worried about sickness.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wolc123]

9 minutes ago, Belo said:

It is odd indeed that it wasn’t massive carnage. I really think maybe he was just clipped. I have no other explanation for him just being dead in that position. He looked like a totally healthy deer so I’m not worried about sickness.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like a good 2.5 yr old that would have been real nice sized next year.  You can have that euro done tomorrow with no mess if you can find a 3200 psi pressure washer.

[Nomad]

In my truck is a machete,ax, and a folding knife , on me is one or two knives at all times . If I’m going to the woods I’m toting a fixed blade as well . 
 

Rigger is also a temporary state , bodies return to a flaccid state .

[E J]

Definitely a bummer. Hopefully another buck will fill the void with him gone before long.

[Enigma]

1 hour ago, Belo said:

It is odd indeed that it wasn’t massive carnage. I really think maybe he was just clipped. I have no other explanation for him just being dead in that position. He looked like a totally healthy deer so I’m not worried about sickness.

Another explanation could be he knew you were on to him. He heard you'd be coming by the lease today. He just couldn't take the pressure knowing you were putting up another stand. He knew there was nowhere to hide. So instead of having to worry another day he offed himself. Waited for the perfect time to run across the road and it was over for him. Deer suicide is what I'm calling it. Prolly a hot doe on the other side of the road egging him on. Sad.

In all seriousness that's a bummer. Go find and kill his big brother. 

[grampy]

A total shame he met his demise from a bumper, and not a Belo.

In all seriousness, I commend you for doing the right thing, and saving what you could, on a beautiful buck. That DEC officer was a huge help too.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Let us know how the straps are. My daughters friend hit a buck last year and the officer let me take the back straps. They were so tough they were inedible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Robhuntandfish]

That sucks. Kinda looks like a broken back?  Deer are tough prob crawled that far and died. I would be bummed for sure.   

One time we came out of our lease and someone hit one while we were hunting. 

[wolc123]

4 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Let us know how the straps are. My daughters friend hit a buck last year and the officer let me take the back straps. They were so tough they were inedible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

That is probably because they were close to maximum riggormortis when you ate them.  A 2.5 year old red-meated animal, such as the recent belo find, should be held for a minimum of 10 days at 33-44 degrees F (like in your refrigerator) prior to freezing or consumption for maximum tenderness.  Certain individuals on this site, including one trained chef, seem to have no understanding of that simple biological/culinary process.

Leave them suckers in your fridge a week or two before grilling medium rare, and they will be melt in your mouth tender, guaranteed.  Been there done that many times.  It don’t matter how they are killed (bow, gun, crossbow, ML, 1-1/4” blade pocket knife, Ford or Chevy) they all taste the same if properly handled after.

Edited October 17, 2021 by wolc123

[Five Seasons]

Looks like a good 2.5 yr old that would have been real nice sized next year.  You can have that euro done tomorrow with no mess if you can find a 3200 psi pressure washer.

Easy 3.5.

My cousin will do the euro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

In my truck is a machete,ax, and a folding knife , on me is one or two knives at all times . If I’m going to the woods I’m toting a fixed blade as well . 
 
Rigger is also a temporary state , bodies return to a flaccid state .

I have a bunch in my truck too, just not a long blade. Honestly the 3” blade on that gerber did great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

A total shame he met his demise from a bumper, and not a Belo.
In all seriousness, I commend you for doing the right thing, and saving what you could, on a beautiful buck. That DEC officer was a huge help too.

He stopped by today. Nice guy. Said it’s been a busy season for him already and he only covers Monroe. What a shame that people suck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

Let us know how the straps are. My daughters friend hit a buck last year and the officer let me take the back straps. They were so tough they were inedible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

He was still pretty warm, but I think broken back and ribs as some of the straps were bruised and tossed.

If you didn’t know it was a roadkill you’d look at the chops and be all excited to bite in. Going to keep them frozen for a bit as I understand that extended freezing can help with any possible food issues and hope for the best. Worst case I’m out some vac bags and my time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[suburbanfarmer]

3 hours ago, wolc123 said:

That is probably because they were close to maximum riggormortis when you ate them.  A 2.5 year old red-meated animal, such as the recent belo find, should be held for a minimum of 10 days at 33-44 degrees F (like in your refrigerator) prior to freezing or consumption for maximum tenderness.  Certain individuals on this site, including one trained chef, seem to have no understanding of that simple biological/culinary process.

Leave them suckers in your fridge a week or two before grilling medium rare, and they will be melt in your mouth tender, guaranteed.  Been there done that many times.  It don’t matter how they are killed (bow, gun, crossbow, ML, 1-1/4” blade pocket knife, Ford or Chevy) they all taste the same if properly handled after.

Totally agree and if you age them with the marinade of choice , it just gets better.

[Five Seasons]

That is probably because they were close to maximum riggormortis when you ate them.  A 2.5 year old red-meated animal, such as the recent belo find, should be held for a minimum of 10 days at 33-44 degrees F (like in your refrigerator) prior to freezing or consumption for maximum tenderness.  Certain individuals on this site, including one trained chef, seem to have no understanding of that simple biological/culinary process.
Leave them suckers in your fridge a week or two before grilling medium rare, and they will be melt in your mouth tender, guaranteed.  Been there done that many times.  It don’t matter how they are killed (bow, gun, crossbow, ML, 1-1/4” blade pocket knife, Ford or Chevy) they all taste the same if properly handled after.

I won’t argue with you on this process because you’re absolutely right. However, I will point out that it’s not the one and only way to decent venison.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[First-light]

18 hours ago, Belo said:

Wanted to share a bit of a bummer story with you all. This morning was an obvious washout in 8F, but the weather broke a little this afternoon. My oldest had a football game at 4 and I needed to be there at 3. I wanted to work on putting in a quick field edge stand and didn't want to waste the whole day.

Anyhow I pulled into the lease. The access road has a large "yard" kinda field and I see a big ass deer just laying there. WTF? They don't hunt... and I stop and realize it's one of the better bucks on the property. I get out and walk the 30 or so yards and see no wounds. I flip him over... nothing. Blood out the ass and mouth and a small puncture that doesn't even break into the muscle.

There's no sign of an accident, but it's an obvious road kill. I'm just gutted. These things kill me... and yeah it's worse when it's a nice big buck. I call the DEC for a tag. His stomach is bloated but he's barely riggored up. I'm thinking early morning hit. DEC is on the other side of the county. Says drop him a pin and text some pics. I tell him I'd like to take the rack. He says he will call me back. I drag the buck into the orchard. 

I have "treestand gear" and no buck knife, so I use my multi-tool to cut the neck and my pruners (which is what i use anyhow) to sever the spine. He's pretty warm still... stinks like guts but again I can't really tell where he was hit. At this time I decide to save the back straps. DEC calls back. I'm like, hey I'm trying to save some meat too. He's like I get it, you're not calling because you're doing something illegal. We agree to meet up for tags in the AM. Props to an officer using some logic and helping a citizen.

Anyhow, some of the backstrap is a little hemorrhaged which makes me think hit on the side/neck. But he was a good 150 yards from the road. I didn't have the time or desire to keep skinning. Oh and I lost my wedding ring, had to drive back and found it with a metal detector. geez

this is how i found him

 

I think you did what most of us would do. Good job enjoy the rack and Loins.