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.