I went out shed hunting this past Thursday for the first time this year. I didn't find any sheds but what I did find I was really shocked at. I have been out in years past and just haven't seen these numbers. I saw at least 10 dead deer in a pretty small area. This is on private property that sees light to moderate pressure at best. Seven of these were last years fawns with only one of them being a button buck. The yotes had eaten on all of these. There were 3 adult carcasses. One was a 1 1/2 year old buck still in tact which I was hoping would make it a few more years. He had split brows and was a 5x4. I will include some pics of him. I did not see any wounds on him, but I am wondering if maybe he was gut shot. His stomach area was opened and messed up but the yotes hadn't got to him yet. I am guessing he was probably dead about 1 month. Then there was an adult doe carcass. The one disturbing thing that really got to me was a large bodied buck without a head. This was an obvious sign of a poacher I would say. It also got me to thinking. Do you guys think those other deer could have been the work of a poacher as well with all of these carcasses being in such a small area? It might have been about a square 1/4 mile area.

I am not sure those pics worked well so here they are again.

I don't think no head is an "obvious" sign of a poacher. Perhaps the buck died and someone found it, like you found the one pictured, and decided to keep the skull. I know I've done this more than once. But, that seems like a lot of deer dead in one area. Do you know who all hunts the property? Either lots of deer have been wounded and not tracked, someones shooting them just for fun, or something else like disease is going on. That's a lot of deer to find. With that many in a small area there is something going on. Worth reporting to local Game Commission I'd say.
-Jake

I agree. I would definately report it. If the WCO suspects poaching in the area maybe they could set up a sting and nail them.

+1 on reporting it. That is really disappointing

+2 on reporting it ASAP. If not poachers then maybe something else that they could help figure out.

We had it happen this year where we found just 100 yrds off our property (buzzards drew us to them) 13 or so deer dumped in a pile and a few others scattered around in close proximity. Antlers had been cut off a few and 1 was headless. There were small 4pts and a few spikes in there as well. This was towards the end of the season and before the season say Aug we found another half dozen dead throughout the property. dWe called DNR whom came out and said it could be crop damage permits. He would check who owns the land and go from there. We heard no more to date. However one of our guys shot at a bunch of deer on the run that held a very big 10pt we saw a few times thruout the year. He and another followed blood to the property line where they saw a hunter just insde thier property and asked him permission to track the wounded deer. They were told no and just then they heard a 4 wheeler start up. It is no dought they stole his deer and are probably the same people responsable for the deer dumping. Were they pissed off because of the DNR involvement? Possable. Anyway could crop damage permit hunting be a cause

I would say no to the crop damage hunts. There aren't any given out on this property.

Kinda weird and fishy. maybe poachers, maybe sickness, maybe poison. Who knows but really weird indeed.

I would contact the dnr and let them look at it and see what they think. Might be a disease, its hard to tell.