Walk of death

[Shed Hunter]

I've found tons of dead dear in the past few years, but today was just a little out of the ordinary. I walked up on a good 8 point in one bottom and later on in the day I decided to walk another creek. It started with a bone pile, then a whole skeleton 100 yards later, then an old skull shortly after. Right as I dropped that one I looked up and saw another dead buck. It was a little three point. Soon after I found another dead doe and ended up finding another not too long after on the other side of the creek. I also found a four point in this area and my buddy found a 2.5 year old 8 point there earlier thos month. Pretty strange. That particular bottom is definitely worth the name "The Boneyard"

Heres the bigger one. Would've been nice if the tines weren't halfway gone.

 

[tree_ghost]

Is there any chance that the creek could be poluted by something?I mean there have been times where I have walked up on two or three bone piles in fairly close proximity but not the amount of animals that you saw here... i dunno could be that you simply have a ton more deer on your land than I do LOL. either way it would have been nice to end that eight points life by the blade of a broadhead instead of finding him in a creek!!!

 

[Shed Hunter]

Is there any chance that the creek could be poluted by something?I mean there have been times where I have walked up on two or three bone piles in fairly close proximity but not the amount of animals that you saw here... i dunno could be that you simply have a ton more deer on your land than I do LOL. either way it would have been nice to end that eight points life by the blade of a broadhead instead of finding him in a creek!!!

I have permission on quite a few places here in Henderson County and of all my huting spots this one has the biggest deer for sure.. IDK about the most though. Many of them could have been EHD kills. A couple of the doe skulls were old enough they could have been from the last major outbreak and there are cases every year. The majority were found within 300 yards of the neighboring property so I'm sure a few could have been lost kills.

Last year I found 4 dead deer in one 20 acre thicket behind my house, but they were all at least two years old and one was so old moss was growing out of it.

It was pretty weird finding all of the ones today in a single day though.

 

[catman529]

Shot and wounded, natural causes, EHD, who knows the cause but I'd guess the deer consider that bottom to be a safe place where they go when they are hurt or dying.

 

[guthooked]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

 

[Shed Hunter]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

All dead deer are more likely to be near water.

 

[DIRTTRAX]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

All dead deer are more likely to be near water.

Why is that?

 

[Shed Hunter]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

All dead deer are more likely to be near water.

Why is that?

The answer to that is beyond my knowledge. Maybe BSK or someone smarter than me knows. I do know I was initially taught about it in terms of tracking. Shed hunting confirmed it is true. I've found well over 50 skulls/bonepiles in the last three years. I can only think of four that weren't within 100 yards of water.

Have you looked for sheds on Natchez Trace any? I went out there a couple of times, but found 0. Three dead buck skulls though. Two of which had their antlers sawed off.

 

[Football Hunter]

Especially in gut shot deer,they go to water,I believe because it makes them feel thirsty.

 

[DIRTTRAX]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

All dead deer are more likely to be near water.

Why is that?

The answer to that is beyond my knowledge. Maybe BSK or someone smarter than me knows. I do know I was initially taught about it in terms of tracking. Shed hunting confirmed it is true. I've found well over 50 skulls/bonepiles in the last three years. I can only think of four that weren't within 100 yards of water.

Have you looked for sheds on Natchez Trace any? I went out there a couple of times, but found 0. Three dead buck skulls though. Two of which had their antlers sawed off.

Been working 7 12's so havent had time to do much of anything. I want to just got to get off the OT first.

 

[landman]

A wounded deer with usually end up with some type of infection, which causes a fever, which causes animals to go to water

 

[BSK]

EHD deer are almost always found dead near water sources�

All dead deer are more likely to be near water.

Why is that?

The answer to that is beyond my knowledge. Maybe BSK or someone smarter than me knows.

Because EHD is such a major killer of deer in our area. In addition, gut-shot deer often go to water before dying.

 

[BSK]

On the property in question, with all those skeletons near creeks, I believe you are looking at a past EHD die-off. I get to walk a lot of properties in winter. I have never seen anything like what you describe except for areas that have experienced a recent and very severe EHD die-off.

 

[Winchester]

On the property in question, with all those skeletons near creeks, I believe you are looking at a past EHD die-off. I get to walk a lot of properties in winter. I have never seen anything like what you describe except for areas that have experienced a recent and very severe EHD die-off.

Ditto!