Dead elk calf

[smithkl42]

I spotted this dead calf on a westside hunt. Hard to tell how long it had been dead, but from the smell and hair loss, I'm guessing at least over a week. No obvious injuries, and in an area where it's really not likely it could have starved. There are plenty of predators and scavengers in the area, but they seem to have let it alone. Any thoughts about what might have killed it? Some sort of disease, presumably, but not sure what. (No sign of hoof rot, that I could see.)

[outdooraddict]

good lord, I could nearly smell that wet rotting thing through the computer screen,  that had to be a pleasant smell

[Bango skank]

Strange that no scavengers got to it.

[Timberstalker]

Pretty long face for a calf. Interesting.

[TRD1911]

Without any bloating or signs of external decomp it looks pretty frail to me. I've had a couple cows on camera this year that looked horrible while the rest of the hurd looked remarkably healthy. Is there a parasite that may have played a part?

[Mudman]

It was too many Hikers!  Like in Vail Co.    Seriously no scavenging is weird.  Sicko??  Looks sickly to me.  Maybe car injuries?  Parasites?  Elk Rabies!!!

[bornhunter]

You may want to put a WDFW biologist onto that thing.

[carpsniperg2]

Looks like a very run down sickly animal. Guessing it died from complications of disease or something along those lines.

[lewy]

Looks like a very run down sickly animal. Guessing it died from complications of disease or something along those lines.

 

[smithkl42]

You may want to put a WDFW biologist onto that thing.

I've sent an email to the various WDFW folks I've been chatting with about that area.

[smithkl42]

good lord, I could nearly smell that wet rotting thing through the computer screen,  that had to be a pleasant smell

I actually couldn't smell it much until I poked it with a stick. *Then* I could smell it, oh boy.

[X-Force]

You may want to put a WDFW biologist onto that thing.

 

[jakeweb]

I agree. Definitely get WDFW to come take a look

[Bango skank]

good lord, I could nearly smell that wet rotting thing through the computer screen,  that had to be a pleasant smell

I actually couldn't smell it much until I poked it with a stick. *Then* I could smell it, oh boy.

What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by poking it with a stick?

[npaull]

Sometimes you just have to poke things with a stick.