On my way home from work today, I ran across a small crippled doe meandering through my small suburban town, about 1/4 mile from my house. I pulled along side of it, and was able to not only get a picture or two, but to follow it around the neighborhood. As long as I stayed in the car, I was able to pull within 10 feet of it without startling it, even with the motor running. I was able to get 27 pictures in the course of about an hour.
I watched this pitiful thing limp over to a few trash cans and eat whatever it could find. It ate, among other things, old orange peels, a McDonald's burger wrapper out of an old happy meal, and even a disposeable diaper.
The doe had obviously been hit by a car and it's right rear leg had been broken badly. You could see where the bone was protruding though the skin, it may be visible in some of these pictures. Its coat was in VERY bad shape, but I don't know if this is due to normal shedding or something else like mange or CWD.
There were people out for an evening walk who told me the doe had been hanging around our neighborhood for months, and actually looked a lot better today than she had. They said she was getting around better and her coat looked better (as if it could look any worse). After eating out of the trash cans, it bedded down right in a neighbor's back yard right against his back deck (after going through his trash).
Take a look and tell me what you guys think.
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer4.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer6.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer11.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer10.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer16.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer19.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer18.jpg)
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/BellpointDeer25.jpg)
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Definately not normal shedding.Too bad.I havent heard much of CWD lately I was hoping that it was P.E.T.A propaganda and had passed.
If it is eating and getting around I imagine it has a chance. As far as CWD...I have no idea.
Considering it is hurt, and somewhat handicapped, If it were me, I would call your local wildlife agency to intervene. Maybe they could help it out even more. It would be terrible to have some kids witness some dogs tear it apart.
It looks like a fawn, with that short, rabbitty face. Surprisingly enough, it may survive. I have seen numerous three-legged deer well into their adult years. Staying around people may prevent it from feeding coyotes.
Hurts to watch it, but it just may have a life to live.
Killdeer
Down here we would call the Wildlife Rescue League. They would take it to a member/rehabilitator.
K~
doesnt look like CWD to me. Just looks urt and sick
The young deer is obivously suffering and on the brink of death it will kill its self any how eating the food it is. T he best thing for the deer is to be destroyed and end the misery. That is the humane thing. I could not imagine fish and wildlife officer could let this go on!
I would agree with Ray. Look at its back right leg.
From what the people I talked to told me, the DNR had tried to chase it down and shoot it a while back, they tried to get it close to the river so no errant shots would hit a house, but it took off fast enough to prevent them from cornering it.
Seems like she is winning the battle for survival. Wonder what her opinion would be of ending her misery?
Anyway, it's not CWD. Deer can go for years carrying CWD without showing any signs whatsoever, but once it goes active they are done in about two weeks.
I agree with monterey, she does not look like she is starving and she is starting to shed her winter coat somewhat. She looks none the worse for the wear as they say and people said she had been around for months. Let nature take its course, it is cruel sometimes, sometimes the deer wins and she just may make it. Shawn
The odd thing that strikes me about these pics is the green grass available to eat and she is eating garbage. Makes me wonder if this was a pet as a young fawn. Strange :readit:
Animals are tough, a lot tougher then we think. You don't have to worry about below zero temps and snow, so she might surprise youl.
Alan
West Virginia might surprise you Alan!
I have been there at 15 below, and a couple of feet of snow.
Always makes me wonder why I go out that way to hunt, when all the deer are warm and cozy in the flatlands. Ol' dopey me!
Killdeer :D
No deer should have to live this way...
The humane thing to do is put that deer down. Nothing natural about how that deer is living.
I've heard of this. That hair loss is not shedding and this condition has been reported in WV before. See the Southeast Cooperative Wildlife Disease Center report on the condition...
http://www.uga.edu/scwds/topic_index/2004/HairLossWVdeer.pdf
They aren't sure what causes it but it may be linked to supplemental feeding with shelled corn.
If it was suffering, it would be bedded up not doing anything. I'm sure there are many opportunities to eat things other than garbage, this deer has chosen not to out of convenience. I'm sure there are gardens and such around you? Are there any fields close by?
If it were me, and I thought the deer could get around on it's own, and wasn't showing signs of distress, I'd leave it alone.
I have never seen anything like that.I would put her down.
That deer has a hurt leg, not some disease. Probably car hit most likely. IMHO anyway.
It sure doesn't look that good, but it's doing what it has to for survival. It's amazing what a deer will do to survive.
Looks to me like she's making a living. Kinda different to see a deer dumpster diving but it's getting by. I think I would let nature take it's course as long as it's up and doing it's thing. If it beds up and won't or can't get up then it's time to put it down.
Mike
It's not starving that's for sure. Just a fawn loosing its winter coat.
Her posture in a few pics leads me to believe she may have had internal injuries. Her body may be telling her to eat weird stuff. Just look at all the stuff your dog will get into, and they seem to get along o.k. Mother nature is strange sometimes.
Dude, if I as eating diapers I'd look like crap too. She looks happy enough. Don't assign human emotions to animals. Don't inflict them on them either. Leave her be. If she's been eating diapers for months, I'm sure she has a reason.
Killdeer, it did surprise me that it gets that cold and snow. But does it stay for 5 to 6 months lol.
MY son worked down to Hico WV, for 5yrs. and he thought it wasn't that bad for temps. and the snow didn't stay.
Alan
She will live or die. That she should do either should not be our choice unless we take her as food for ourselves or our families. Nature deals with all of us in its own way. Sometimes it is not so great.
From what I can see of the pictures, granted, it is only a few pictures, she is doing OK. She has some issues and she is dealing with them.
She has learned to garbage pick, as have many animals that live in the neighborhoods with man. Why not...we waste so much. Let her be. JMHO
ChuckC
Deer won't usually eat green grass. They go for broadleaf plants (forbes), etc. Feeding a deer hay in the winter will kill it.
John and Chuck have it right, just think if you had a broken leg and your hair was falling out and even in a lot of pain, but ya had a full belly and were getting by, would ya want me to come up and put a bullet in ya? Didn't think so, and if deer had the ability to reason I doubt she would. They don't, so let nature do what it does, she is far from dead. Shawn
hey Al! just let Bill know where she is...PROBLEM SOLVED. :thumbsup:
Bill saw her yesterday on his way home. I went around the block and picked up Donna, she watched the deer with me for about 20 min or so - it was only about four houses down from their place!
4 houses down.....that deer is IN TROUBLE! :biglaugh: