Deer Squirts

[thomas89]

Shot a young buck this afternoon.

Appeared very healthy, good fat, feeding when I shot him, couple does close by.

The only off thing… was diarrhea. His whole hind end was covered in it. Back of his legs, tail, between his rear quarters.

What gives? I did not cut into the stomach to see if he had been eating lots of grain or corn. Probably had access within a mile any direction to corn/grain/bird feeders.

Pretty orangey fat on him.

 

[rmyoung1]

Probably just related to me

 

[thomas89]

Probably just related to me

Very close to several custard/burger joints as well. Have not ruled it out.

 

[thomas89]

 

[Mrc]

There’s something wrong with that buck. There’s an infection somewhere . Skin him and you’ll find it.

 

[thomas89]

There’s something wrong with that buck. There’s an infection somewhere . Skin him and you’ll find it.

Already skinned. Didn’t see anything really out of the ordinary. One random small puncture wound mid rib not from my shot, very fresh so not sure that infection set in yet. Going to call the DNR tomorrow and see what they say now that I’m thinking about it.

 

[buckbull]

Where is the blood? Those guts are really clean.

 

[thomas89]

Where is the blood? Those guts are really clean.

All in the chest cavity. Shot quartering to and from a rise. Hit in front of near shoulder high, exited opposite side of rib cage, stuck just under hide.

 

[Elktrack]

All in the chest cavity. Shot quartering to and from a rise. Hit in front of near shoulder high, exited opposite side of rib cage, stuck just under hide.

View attachment 395528

Yeah man!
What bullet is that?

 

[MThuntr]

Yeah man!
What bullet is that?

Looks like a maker

 

[thomas89]

Yeah man!
What bullet is that?

@MThuntr nailed it.

After some reading, stating to think this is just a post rut buck. Very little body fat. Just that odd colored stuff. Diarrhea perhaps due to switching back to eating nutrient dense foods? Meat all smells/looks normal.

 

[Elktrack]

@MThuntr nailed it.

After some reading, stating to think this is just a post rut buck. Very little body fat. Just that odd colored stuff. Diarrhea perhaps due to switching back to eating nutrient dense foods? Meat all smells/looks normal.

That’s impressive bullet.
What were you shootin?

 

[CowboyLeroy]

@MThuntr nailed it.

After some reading, stating to think this is just a post rut buck. Very little body fat. Just that odd colored stuff. Diarrhea perhaps due to switching back to eating nutrient dense foods? Meat all smells/looks normal.

We graze cows on oats all winter, and they get the flying splits like you've never seen but I've never seen a deer do it. Ruminants are strange, and have a very finicky digestive system. You're probably on the right track.

 

[thomas89]

That’s impressive bullet.
What were you shootin?

.375 Winchester.

 

[Henry22]

@MThuntr nailed it.

After some reading, stating to think this is just a post rut buck. Very little body fat. Just that odd colored stuff. Diarrhea perhaps due to switching back to eating nutrient dense foods? Meat all smells/looks normal.

I had a similar situation with my post rut buck this year. Was splitting his tailbone and noticed he had the runs. He just started hitting food sources again about a week ago and didn’t have any signs of infection.

 

[JV842]

We graze cows on oats all winter, and they get the flying splits like you've never seen but I've never seen a deer do it. Ruminants are strange, and have a very finicky digestive system. You're probably on the right track.

This!!! We’ve got winter oats n wheat coming up all around us this time of year…deer always got the squirts….no problems, just their stomach’s getting used to a “new main course”

 

[Mrc]

The yellow fat looks wrong. I shot a buck one year the second week of gun season. Shot him in his bed. Turns out he had been wounded earlier in the season and that’s what his fat looked like. He was in bad shape. I didn’t eat him.

 

[Mrc]

I just read that yellow fat in deer can be caused by diet. Winter stress also. The one I shot also had red lines all over the stomach. Large puss area. Yours might be ok.

 

[thomas89]

The yellow fat looks wrong. I shot a buck one year the second week of gun season. Shot him in his bed. Turns out he had been wounded earlier in the season and that’s what his fat looked like. He was in bad shape. I didn’t eat him.

I just saw a picture of a deer with similar fat. Seemed dietary related. Doesn’t seem common, but also seems like it’s been documented before. In the absence of large wounds or abscesses, I am leaning towards it being fine. Have a message in with the biologist so we’ll see if he gives an email back.

 

[mevertsen]

@MThuntr nailed it.

After some reading, stating to think this is just a post rut buck. Very little body fat. Just that odd colored stuff. Diarrhea perhaps due to switching back to eating nutrient dense foods? Meat all smells/looks normal.

I was thinking not eating because of the rut, so relying on fat reserves for energy.

Hard to say on the diarrhea. The food change / start up makes sense.