He's really sick. Going to try and find him again don't think he went more than a 100 yds. Sheriff said he'd give me a salvage tag for him. Our deer population has got pretty high here locally and with this drought I was afraid we'd see some kind of outbreak in our deer. It a shame because there's a lot of nice bucks running around last couple of years.

I was 30 yds across the creek from him. Threw about a dozen rocks at him and think I hit him a couple times. Didn't move. I yelled at him numerous times. Didn't move. Thought he was dead
Boss came down there and as we were talking he got up and walked out of sight
His tongue was sticking out at least a foot. Guessing around 160s from what I could tell when he stood up. Hate to see this.

put him down when you can. That is a miserable death.

Sure is sad to see them like that. Heck of an animal.

Did he look skinny or emaciated like he had been sick for some time - or in decent shape like it came on fairly quickly?

Decent body condition from what I could tell

i found a nice one back in February laying beside a lake. he was shivering like he was freezing but remember it was really warm that day.

went on and finished checking traps. an hour later went back and he was still there. he would act like he was going get up but couldnt.
i put him down and checked to see if he had been shot but found nothing.

got couple videos but dont know how to post them.

Salvage tag for what?, I sure wouldn't eat it, and the antlers will still be wherever you drop him. You pick up the "shed" after nature cleans it up.

I'd like a salvage tag for the antlers. He looks to be in full velvet still. If that the case and velvet is tight I'd like to keep the antlers that way.

Plus shooting one without a salvage tag could ruin a hunting/Trapping career and taint your image for your life.

You get labeled a poacher especially when nice buck is involved , no matter the situation, it will ruin your integrity.

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Sounds like hemmoragic (spelling) fever…caused by midge fly…I think it’s also called blue tongue…infected deer are found near or at water sources…can’t get enough to drink…horrible death…has occurred in our area before.

i put the one i found down.
he was shaking his head and shivering like he was freezing. acted like he was blind also. he would turn his head toward the sound of me moving, but dont think he could see me.

We shoot first, then worry about the legality of it. We are sportsmen first…no sense in letting an animal suffer while someone makes up their mind whether we should intervene. Luckily only had two in the last 6-7 years that we’ve put down. We are still waiting for the results of a buck we put down last year, lol. Pretty sure it was just an old deer that got his butt whooped, but I guess we’ll know for sure when the labs get around to testing. Couldn’t be too bad because we haven’t found any others.

sure is horrible

fish and game likes to necropsy animals like that. id call and see if they are interested

Called local GW. No answer. Found out he'd became a Wyoming Highway Patrol and state didn't replace him. Sheriff said if we find him he'd send deputy out or if he was obviously without doubt sick shoot then he'd send deputy out. Got a rifle now.

Blue tongue?

I just let let nature take it's coarse when I see animals like that. That's just what happens all day long in the wild. Mother nature doing it's thing. Other animals rely on it's antlers and other parts to survive. A cripple animal is what many mothers use to train their young. It's not cruel to leave it, it's natural.

Looks in a lot better condition that the one I found in a pond…and yes it was alive when I found it.