What killed him? Extreme heat issues? (Pics)

[OKbowhunter20]

The Dog Days of summer are upon us. This is the time of year we find ourselves staying inside (with the A/C maxed out) and avoided harsh activity and manual labor as much as possible. But the "Summer Cabin Fever" got to me yesterday and I couldn't take it anymore. I called up a few buddies and got together afishing venture to a creek near our town.

The heat right now is miserable. That's the only word I can think of that comes close to describing it.

As we scaled the creek banks I noticed something in the water. Upon closer inspection we noticed it was an animal carcass, a deer to be exact. I began searching for the skull and this is what I found.





As I picked it up, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the little guy. A little sad even. And after I got home I began to wonder what exactly caused this deer death?

He was obviously a 1 year old deer. I know lots of variables can come into play here. Sickness, hit by car, there are lots of things that could havekilled him, but I havea theory.

He hadn't been dead very long. He was in running water and there was still fur on parts of him. Hisantlers are "velvety". But, running home to my air conditioned house made me think how rough it must be on the wildlife right now.

Check outa few trail cam pics I've gotten over the past week. Notice the temperatures on the bottom.







Ridiculous isn't it? And with temps like these, it's not just "hot outside". It's dangerous. For people and animals alike I'm sure. Triple digit temperaures are not something a Dasani can fix. Staying hydrated will only do so much when it's this hot.

My deer activity on my cams have come to a screeching halt. The only pics I get are usually between Midnight and 4am. See? (Rob, try to contain yourself[8D])



And if the heat did kill him, how ironic it is that he demised in a creek. Fate is cruel, just like mother nature.

I feel sorry for the deer and all other wildlife right now. Im not sure if the heat is what caused all this but I seem to think so. There is no way to be sure. We can only give it our best guess. It's sad though.


Have a great weekend guys. Stay cool.

[GregH]

That kinda heat has to really suck. I can't stand it when it starts climing past 80! []

[Rory/MO]

man i thought it was getting hot here!
sad story will, sorry to hear about it.

[Siman08/OH]

Great thread Will, sometimes we seem to forget about the critters in the woods when were sitting in our AC equipped houses.

My buddy found a scull last week by a watering hole in the woods, but it had been dead for at least a couple months. I know its a common fact that wounded animals will go for water. It seems likelythat your buck was hit by a car or wounded some way, but i wouldn't doubt that a deer could die from the heat. Especially if the temperatures are over 111 degrees.

[gzg38b]

I truly in my heart do not understand how ANYBODY could stand to live anyplace south of about Ohio.

It's just too miserable in the summer down south. Heck I think Michigan is way too hot in the summer. I really don't get why people would want to live down south. I'd take 20 below and snow anyday over 95 degrees and humid. Just my opinion.

Sunny and 70 every day in the summer is perfect. Any warmer than 70 and it's starting to get uncomfortable. Warmer than 80 is miserable. 90 and up I just hibernate in the house under the AC.

[ksfowler]

I think that i can relate to the animals out in the heat because i am lucky enough to sit on a lawn mower for 8 hours a day[:@]. this week was the worst becuase it has just begone to get hot here in kansas its around 100 daily now. i think i might have to start working a 6:00 in the morning to try and beat the heat.

[AR Bowhunter]

Yes its hot guys but stay focused please! Two months or less to go till bow season!!!!

[silentArcher]

Thats not as bad as this. 120*f. took this june 28th.

[Hoyt_Viper]

On Saturday I met up with an HNI'er JoeyG and did some scouting for trees for stands. We run across a pack of about 5 dogs just covered in mud and skinny as hell, and dying for water. I called the owner and offered to hold the dogs, or even bring them to him, and his response was 'leave em be" They will come home soon. My pictures showed the same dogs at 5:30 the next morning. I caught all of them later that day, and called the owner and told him he could pick them up at the pound because they were getting help for their lack of food or water.

When Landon vabowman) and his buddy came up, I believe Landon found a dogs skull. I havent seen them in any of me pics lately, maybe because the fine for each dog running loose and trespassing since I had called the day before an warned him.

I went out today to cut some more trails and about melted. Kept going back to truck and turn AC on!