90 seconds in a life of hell

[fishnfur]

Sometimes, after all the anticipation, trail cam captures are not that fun to watch. 

I have almost no words (other than "where did the sheds end up"). 

[grundy53]

Definitely sucks seeing that. All too common these days.

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[Mfowl]

Poor guy! Thats very hard to watch.

[vandeman17]

Poor guy. Nature can be a heartless witch sometimes.

[mfswallace]

Poor guy. Nature can be a heartless witch sometimes.

Or man made chemicals ...

[hollymaster]

Poor guy. Nature can be a heartless witch sometimes.

Or man made chemicals ...

Can’t kill all the good bacteria....

[buggy]

That's brutal! I dont know where it's coming from (I know there are several theories) but man it needs to stop.

[pd]

Boy, that's a tough one to watch.  Thanks for sharing.

The only good news is these animals won't suffer too long.  They are easy prey.  I know you don't want to hear that, but it is a fact.

I don't know the answer to this problem, but I do hope a solution is soon found.

[KFhunter]

The solution is wolves, they're going nuts for hoof rot.  They'll breed and breed, then the hoof rot will be gone


Then watchout, a glut of wolves with nothing to eat.

[Oh Mah]

  

[Special T]

What is most disappointing is the fact that a small herd has not been captured for research on this issue. A captive audience  for discovery would go a long way to a solution.

Who knows?  If it is something as simple as a mineral deficiency.

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[jstone]

If more people see this stuff it will stop it

[Oh Mah]

unless it is some chemicals fault,The money machine wont stop and Gov. wont make them.

[Skyvalhunter]

An animal shouldn't have to suffer like that

[bearpaw]

What is most disappointing is the fact that a small herd has not been captured for research on this issue. A captive audience  for discovery would go a long way to a solution.

Who knows?  If it is something as simple as a mineral deficiency.

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You would think they would have captured some to study?

I really hate to see an animal having to survive like that. However, his body condition did not look as bad as I would have thought, I wonder if any of the elk eventually overcome hoof rot and continue to survive? I also noticed that elk must have smelled human scent on the camera or heard it running.

[KFhunter]

I'm pretty sure it's terminal, they get to hurting so bad they starve to death, or die of dehydration.  Remember the whole herd that laid down and died?

[headshot5]

Yeah, it's terminal.  Hoof will drop off, they can't put weight on it, if they do it remains raw.  They gradually just move to edge of their feeding area and stay there about a 2 acre area (from what I've seen).  Hoof rot isn't the ultimate killer, but its the start of it.  Once the hoof falls off and they have a raw nub, they are susceptible to a host of other bacteria.  They usually end up extremely skinny, where they are susceptible to exposure (body can't keep warm in winter especially in the rain).  At some point they are weak enough they can't stand, and they usually just lay in an area until they die.   I came across a bull 2 years ago, that couldn't stand.  It was in rough shape, sunken eyes, feverish, I'm pretty sure it couldn't get to water (little over 100 yards away).  The smell was pretty overpowering, coyotes had been trying to get him. 

From the smell I figured I'd find a dead elk, and I shot a coyote while I was following the scent from down wind within 40 or so yards from him.  I found him a few minutes later.  He had hoof rot on one hind leg and one front leg.  Not a pretty way to go. 

I think from the onset of hoof rot, they can usually make it through 2 to 3 years before they succumb.  The first year they have a slight limp, no other sign of illness.  The 2nd year you see the ones that are starting to look rough, can't put weight on their leg, usually funky shaped antlers if it's a bull (opposite side from the hoof rot side), they can still travel pretty well, but they are 3 legged (like the one in the cam).  The last year (3rd or so of hoof rot) is as described above first paragraph.         

       

 

[nitroelk]

not fun to watch that one, sure be nice if they can ever come up with a solution to that besides wolves

[outlawbuck]

Last year's camera I had a cow and calf the cow had bad hoof rot. They were together for the first three days then the calf never showed again even though the cow returned for another week straight. I'm sure coyote or cougar got the calf due to her inability to protect the calf, man that broke my heart. Hopefully they can stop worrying about money and get this figured out.