Not what I wanted to find

[Shooter77]

Went to my farm about 10 today to check cams and clear any trees down on the roads from the artic blast. I've not been out since Dec 2nd. As I was walking in, I seen a bunch of crows going crazy by a thick knoll. Decided out of the blue to walk up there to look at making a kill plot on the flat. Just as I got to spot, I find this 8 pt. Looks to have been shot as 2 ribs were broke out on his left side. Contacted both neighbors but neither have hunted since thanksgiving. I know I have trail cam pics of a 8 similar to him. Will have to look back through my files. Anyone able to age him with jaw pic?

 

[Ski]

Good looking buck. Broke someone's heart.

 

[Shooter77]

Good looking buck. Broke someone's heart.

Yeah for sure. Not sure who might have shoot him. North of me is river bluff and river. My west neighbor that was closes to his final resting spot is a 170 acres of mostly cattle farm. My east & south neighbor is 119 acres. Both said they've not hunted since November. He's been dead maybe a week at most.

 

[DoubleRidge]

It's a bummer finding them dead like that...but at least you know he's off the list of bucks to watch for in the future...and you got the skull before it got all chewed up.

 

[Ski]

Could he possibly have been poached?

 

[Shooter77]

You cant see any of the property from the road. It would be a hike in to shoot one but it's possible. I have cams with in 50 yards of it.

 

[MUP]

Sad to have him gone this way for sure, no matter who shot him.

 

[wsm]

Sorry to hear of you losing that good buck .

 

[Gravey]

Nice buck and that sucks! At least you know he's gone.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I lost one too, but to a vehicle. He would have been a great deer.

 

[Snake]

Hate it for you brother .

 

[Split Brow]

Terrible find!!

 

[backyardtndeer]

That's a shame, that was a nice 8. Tough to age from only a side shot of the jawbone. My best guess from what i can see would be 3.5.

 

[killingtime 41]

where in east Tn did you find this buck. As I live in east Tn and shot at one dec 17th. Me and a buddy said it was a clean miss. But you know how that plays out in your head. Always a slim chance. And that's all my mind needs. Especially when it is very similar looking rack. ?

 

[megalomaniac]

I suspect that deer has been dead for 3 weeks or a little more... gotta remember we had that polar vortex that frozen the carcass rock solid for 4 days.

As far as age... can't tell much from the tooth pic. Prob not mature, def not 1.5, but can't say more than that

 

[DeerMan66]

How far was the carcass from the road? Someone might have shot it from a vehicle.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I suspect that deer has been dead for 3 weeks or a little more... gotta remember we had that polar vortex that frozen the carcass rock solid for 4 days.

As far as age... can't tell much from the tooth pic. Prob not mature, def not 1.5, but can't say more than that

Exactly. I had one dead for around 11 days before the buzzards and coyotes found him, which in turn alerted me to him. He was frozen solid. What a shame. I know around 11 days because he was a morning, midday, and evening regular on several cameras. Then he "vanished" from cameras. Reality was he was dead in the ditch a couple of hundred yards from his last picture. A salvage tag was issued by the county game warden.

 

[Shooter77]

How far was the carcass from the road? Someone might have shot it from a vehicle.

350 yards, but there is a steep river bluff along the dirt road. From road to where the deer was died, there is almost 800 ft elevation gain.

 

[DeerMan66]

350 yards, but there is a steep river bluff along the dirt road. From road to where the deer was died, there is almost 800 ft elevation gain.

More than likely not shot from the road then.