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Author Topic: Dead elk calf  (Read 3152 times)

Offline smithkl42

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Dead elk calf
« on: September 09, 2019, 07:09:34 PM »
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.)
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Offline outdooraddict

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2019, 07:40:16 PM »
good lord, I could nearly smell that wet rotting thing through the computer screen,  that had to be a pleasant smell

Offline Bango skank

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2019, 07:41:18 PM »
Strange that no scavengers got to it.

Offline Timberstalker

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2019, 07:44:28 PM »
Pretty long face for a calf. Interesting.
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Offline TRD1911

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2019, 07:47:13 PM »
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?

Offline Mudman

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2019, 07:50:55 PM »
It was too many Hikers!  Like in Vail Co.  :chuckle:  Seriously no scavenging is weird.  Sicko??  Looks sickly to me.  Maybe car injuries?  Parasites?  Elk Rabies!!! :sry:
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Offline bornhunter

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2019, 07:54:23 PM »
You may want to put a WDFW biologist onto that thing.

Offline carpsniperg2

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2019, 07:57:32 PM »
Looks like a very run down sickly animal. Guessing it died from complications of disease or something along those lines.
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Offline lewy

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2019, 08:03:19 PM »
Looks like a very run down sickly animal. Guessing it died from complications of disease or something along those lines.

 :yeah:
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Offline smithkl42

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2019, 09:08:47 PM »
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.
"Marriage is a duel to the death, which no man of honor should decline." - GKC

Offline smithkl42

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2019, 09:10:39 PM »
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.
"Marriage is a duel to the death, which no man of honor should decline." - GKC

Offline X-Force

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2019, 09:11:06 PM »
You may want to put a WDFW biologist onto that thing.

 :yeah:
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Offline jakeweb

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2019, 09:13:38 PM »
I agree. Definitely get WDFW to come take a look

Offline Bango skank

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2019, 09:16:40 PM »
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?

Offline npaull

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Re: Dead elk calf
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2019, 09:23:43 PM »
Sometimes you just have to poke things with a stick.

 


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