Shed find

straitera · July 04, 2011, 12:32:00 PM

Friday morning Ruth & I went out very early riding our horses in the remote big woods. Trailblazing through some thicker undergrowth, Ruth discovered this nice rack 17" widest & 9" short dimension & 13" tall from base bottom. 9 point though a big sticker is broke off near his 4" circumference base. It was a complete deer skeletal evidently shot & not found during gun season. Looked a good while & found no arrow near the vertebrae vicinity. Not exactly sure where we were. Think I remember some pine trees? Thought some of you might want to see? Days are getting shorter folks.

Ric O'Shay · July 04, 2011, 03:38:00 PM

Buddy -
Think you remember some pine trees??? You must have been somewhere east of the Trinity River.

Danny

straitera · July 04, 2011, 04:33:00 PM

Yessir Dan, My one legged bud (no kidding) would say, "just a hop, skip, & jump from the Trindee." Go to that big pine there & turn left.

Cyclic-Rivers · July 04, 2011, 05:24:00 PM

Great Find Forrest.

Pigs and big bucks, your having a banner year

:p

Bobby Urban · July 05, 2011, 07:16:00 AM

Just curious why you think it was shot suring gun season? Could it not have been shot with a bow and not found or killed while fighting with another buck or something?

Nice buck for sure - at first glance I thought that was an old bear razor head stuck between the eye and antlers.

Bob Urban

LONGSTYKES · July 05, 2011, 08:38:00 AM

Nice buck, Good find. Enjoy those trips out looking. Sounds like great country.

straitera · July 05, 2011, 10:35:00 AM

Just guessed it was leftover from late gun season. Skeletal remains were near complete laid out as expected from tail to nose. Saw no distinguishable cuts nor otherwise bh nor bullet damage. Many bones were missing other than vertebra which was complete. Few ribs. Followed a trail of bones towards a nearby creek. None were revealing.

October begins archery season. If killed then, I'd guess the remains would have been scattered much more. The horns weren't chewed as you might expect from rodents. Few bones revealed bite marks. Seen handful of bowhunters in 5 years. Not blaming anyone. Just guessing.

Bill Skinner · July 05, 2011, 04:21:00 PM

I will guess black tongue or EHD. That is a lot more common killer of mature deer than most people would believe. Bill

straitera · July 05, 2011, 11:32:00 PM

Not familiar w/either Bill. I know breucelosis & CWD but rangers keep them pretty much arrested here in Texas. I'll check it out. Thanks