Nasty EHD and mange buck

[Tap]

I've been seeing this buck for 2 years now. I've known that he has mange. I actually called the Game Comm over a year ago and asked if I could put him down. Their answer was "NO"! A warden could do it but I couldn't. How stupid is that?! How can I tell a warden exactly when this deer will be in the yard for removal? Some laws make no sense.
Well, I just got some close-up videos the last couple days, and I realize that he has chronic EHD as proven by the deformed hooves. All 4 hooves are severely screwed-up. I've suspected he has EHD for a while now because when I watch him walk, it looks like his feet hurt...he walks very gingerly.
2 years ago, I found the remains of a decomposed buck that was a victim of EHD. His hooves were still laying there to prove the EHD. His teeth proved that he too was 2.5 years old and his antlers were also quite small.
This poor little buck needs to be put down.

1st pic is from the end of winter in 2015. A biologist told me that a deer with mange usually has some other health issue. He probably had chronic EHD at this point.



Here he is today...


Like I said...the poor guy needs put down

 

[H20fwler]

Nasty!
Those Persian hooves are a sure sign, he would have to go.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

You would think the PGC would post a warden at your place to be sure to get that deer out of the herd, wouldn't you ?? What am I missing here ??

Last fall we had a bear with severe mange to the point it was almost completely naked. A member called the PGC to inform them of the bear and they asked for our camp location. The warden he spoke to at that time said to shoot the bear if we saw it and they - the PGC - would come to pick it up and remove it. They said a warden would be up the next day. NO SHOW. We saw the bear several times over the next couple weeks during deer archery season and we could walk up to about 15 feet from it before it would even get up to hobble away. Sad sight. The PGC even asked the public to alert them if any mangy bears were seen in our area because they knew mange had become a problem in the local bear population. Another phone call to the PGC was placed by the same member to ask if we could shoot the bear so they could come pick it up. The answer was NO this time. The PGC never came to our camp at all despite 2 calls about that mangy bear. We figured the bear would freeze to death as it got colder with no fur to keep it warm. PGC never showed at all.

I used to believe the PGC for years. Not any more. If they really cared about the welfare of our wild animals, they would get off their ass and do more. The BS of " kill more does, kill more does " sealed their fate in the eyes of the hunting public. This latest bear fiasco at our camp cemented our opinion of the PGC. License revenue collectors ......... nothing more.

 

[Tap]

You would think the PGC would post a warden at your place to be sure to get that deer out of the herd, wouldn't you ?? What am I missing here ??

Last fall we had a bear with severe mange to the point it was almost completely naked. A member called the PGC to inform them of the bear and they asked for our camp location. The warden he spoke to at that time said to shoot the bear if we saw it and they - the PGC - would come to pick it up and remove it. They said a warden would be up the next day. NO SHOW. We saw the bear several times over the next week during deer archery season and we could walk up to about 15 feet from it before it would even get up to hobble away. Sad sight. The PGC even asked the public to alert them if any mangy bears were seen in our area because they knew mange had become a problem in the local bear population. Another phone call to the PGC was placed by the same member to ask if we could shoot the bear so they could come pick it up. The answer was NO this time. The PGC never came to our camp at all despite 2 calls about that mangy bear.

I used to believe the PGC for years. Not any more. If they really cared about the welfare of our wild animals, they would get off their ass and do more. The BS of " kill more does, kill more does " sealed their fate in the eyes of the hunting public. This latest bear fiasco at our camp cemented our opinion of the PGC. License revenue collectors ......... nothing more.

I feel that if a citizen puts down an animal like this deer and produces it to a game official, then any/all fines or penalties should be waved, but I guess "government" is what is done in the place of common sense.


Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[SWIFFY]

Sometimes the "shoot, shovel, and shut-up" practice is best! Not me... but thats what ive heard.

 

[Reagan]

I would shoot and let the coyotes take the evidence.

A hypothetical hunter once sat in a stand one January morning and watched a buck walk in circles for over two hours. The hypothetical hunter walked within 10 feet of the deer after he got out of the stand.

A crossbow bolt thru the ribs caused him to jump about three hops with a surprising amount of strength then he dropped.

It ended up being a shed buck. His feet were tore up on top where he drug them while walking. The deer was skinny and looked to like he was ready to die.

In my opinion the right thing was done and the state didn't need to be involved.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Reagan]

Same hypothetical hunter while rabbit hunting found a road injured deer with two broken front legs. He had plowed 500-600 yards from the road. His chest was tore up and appeared to have survived for a day or two. This was before coyotes were a problem.

No state involvement and the right thing was done.


Same for a car hit deer with a broken pelvis found one thanksgiving morning. The state was called and they didn't even return our call. The right thing was done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tap]

Yeah, I realize what the right thing is and what should be done. Some things aren't easy for me to do, but...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Bill]

I'd have to put it down. I think with pics like that if a guy was to somehow get caught a judge would throw it out.

Probably not a wise thing for a father to say but my Dad had 6 boys and 4 girls. He told us all, you will be punished if you're caught, so don't do it if you're going to get caught. We tried very hard not to be...

 

[alldaysit]

There's right and there's wrong. Sometimes it's wrong to be right..... and sometimes it right to be wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Just shoot it and go on with life. Wouldn't be a hard decision for me.

 

[Tap]

Well, I tried to do things the "proper" way. I called the game comm. The 1st person I spoke with said that chronic EHD didn't exist in Pa. She had a warden call me and he said there was no such thing as a chronic form of EHD. He said the issue with the hooves is like toenail fungus in humans. I've gone to several websites that do indeed refer to acute and chronic EHD. But I'm reading that one of the symptoms is interrupted growth of hooves.
I'm not surprised that I was less than impressed with what the game comm people said today. They didn't seem to show much concern for a sick animal.

 

[browndog]

Wow, really pathetic on their part.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

If the deer has lived for 2 years with those issues, I think there is a pretty good chance he will survive. Or if he is truly that hobbled up I would think he could be coyote or bear food relatively quickly. To play devil's advocate on this one, think how many thousands of calls the DNR gets each year every time someone sees a deer or turkey with a limp. They can't let the average person determine when a sick or injured animal can be shot outside of the deer season or every poacher would simply claim the deer the deer they killed out of season had a limp and needed to go.

 

[bueller]

Well, I tried to do things the "proper" way. I called the game comm. The 1st person I spoke with said that chronic EHD didn't exist in Pa. She had a warden call me and he said there was no such thing as a chronic form of EHD. He said the issue with the hooves is like toenail fungus in humans. I've gone to several websites that do indeed refer to acute and chronic EHD. But I'm reading that one of the symptoms is interrupted growth of hooves.
I'm not surprised that I was less than impressed with what the game comm people said today. They didn't seem to show much concern for a sick animal.

No surprise. No way they can give every Tom, Dick, and Harry a "green light" over the phone to kill an animal they "think" is sick out of season. If you could talk to someone in person so they can judge your knowledge and character you may get a difference response. Have photos in hand. But even then their response may be to let nature takes it course. Some things are better done tactfully and carefully without asking permission first.

 

[bueller]

Or wait until day one of your season and put that deer #1 on your hit list

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The problem in our camp's case was that the PGC had announced to the public that mange was in the bear population in our area big-time and they asked for folks to call if a mangy bear was sighted. So our one member called them - thinking he was doing the right thing - and if you re-read my post # 3, the PGC is the one doing the wrong thing. If you ask for the public's help - and they give it - and then the agency doesn't even show up after changing it's " green light ", how can they expect to get help from the public on any matter in the future ?? He who speak with forked tongue .........

I feel for your situation, Tap. I - we - don't like to see any animal suffer needlessly. It's a shame the PGC doesn't see it the same way. I agree fines should be waived in a case like this, but I wouldn't trust ANY judge to render the right call on a put-down. Slashed budgets everywhere mean any revenue is GOOD revenue.

 

[John-W-WI]

The deer having made it this long makes me wonder if he will make it much longer?

I wouldn't find out on my farm. I wouldn't call anyone either.

-John