Tainted meat?
10-30-2003, 10:08 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fenton, MI
Posts: 88
Tainted meat?
The other morning I took a nice 6 point. To my amazement, when I recovered the deer, it had another set of holes in it!
The deer had been shot previously just forward of the shoulder blade, approximately 5-6" under the top of his back. The shot was a clean pass through and did not appear to be from an elevated stand as the shot entered and exited the deer at about the same level. It appears as though the shot was forward and above the lungs, yet well below the spine and arteries.
The arrow did not even appear to be broadhead tipped! [>:][
] Both holes are small, not showing any evidence of blades. One side of the deer has some cut hairs - but they appear to be relatively ragged - not like they were cut clean by a blade. Both holes are black scabbs - not scar tissue or skinned over, so I feel that the injury came from earlier this season, probably within the last couple weeks.
All this aside, the deer appears to be very healthy. I did not notice any impedence to natural, normal deer movement before I made my shot. The buck went about 180# live weight and has a large neck. I noticed he had a strong scent about him when I recovered him - typical breeder buck smell from an animal that' s been actively scraping.
I haven' t started butchering him yet, but even the meat seems to have a particularly gamey smell to it. Is it possible that the meat is not quite right due to some blood poisoning or other??? I have not noticed any evidence of infection, but I haven' t skinned him yet either.
The deer had been shot previously just forward of the shoulder blade, approximately 5-6" under the top of his back. The shot was a clean pass through and did not appear to be from an elevated stand as the shot entered and exited the deer at about the same level. It appears as though the shot was forward and above the lungs, yet well below the spine and arteries.
The arrow did not even appear to be broadhead tipped! [>:][
] Both holes are small, not showing any evidence of blades. One side of the deer has some cut hairs - but they appear to be relatively ragged - not like they were cut clean by a blade. Both holes are black scabbs - not scar tissue or skinned over, so I feel that the injury came from earlier this season, probably within the last couple weeks.All this aside, the deer appears to be very healthy. I did not notice any impedence to natural, normal deer movement before I made my shot. The buck went about 180# live weight and has a large neck. I noticed he had a strong scent about him when I recovered him - typical breeder buck smell from an animal that' s been actively scraping.
I haven' t started butchering him yet, but even the meat seems to have a particularly gamey smell to it. Is it possible that the meat is not quite right due to some blood poisoning or other??? I have not noticed any evidence of infection, but I haven' t skinned him yet either.
10-30-2003, 10:15 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pittsburgh PA
Posts: 1,086
RE: Tainted meat?
I wouldn' t see why the meat would be bad. A few years ago my dad shot a buck that had another hole through it, back and just under the spine(where the innerloins are) The holes weren' t even closed yet, but under the hair you couldn;t even see them before skinning. The meat was fine on that deer.
I' m guessing the gamey smell might just be some of the " rutting" smell from his tarsals that' s just making the whole deer smell. Once you get the skin off him, I bet he' ll smell normal.
I' m guessing the gamey smell might just be some of the " rutting" smell from his tarsals that' s just making the whole deer smell. Once you get the skin off him, I bet he' ll smell normal.
10-31-2003, 10:01 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fenton, MI
Posts: 88
Tainted meat? Part 2...
I skinned the deer last night. Everything that I have seen to this point indicates that the deer was, in fact, previously shot with a FIELD TIP, not a broadhead. There is only a small, maybe .35-.40" circular enterance hole and the exit hole is just slightly larger. There is no way this deer was shot previously shot with a firearm - no tissue damage / bloodshot from hydrostatic shock. The wound was probably induced a week or more before I harvested the animal.
Both shoulders and part of the neck look very questionable as table fare. The enterance wound side has a noticable discoloration almost down to the hock and the other side isn' t much better. The forward end of the backstraps may be bad as well, due to the height of the initial wound but I haven' t got that far yet.
This whole situation has my gut in a knot and I pray that I discover, some day, who the idiot is shooting blunts at deer.
Both shoulders and part of the neck look very questionable as table fare. The enterance wound side has a noticable discoloration almost down to the hock and the other side isn' t much better. The forward end of the backstraps may be bad as well, due to the height of the initial wound but I haven' t got that far yet.
This whole situation has my gut in a knot and I pray that I discover, some day, who the idiot is shooting blunts at deer.
10-31-2003, 02:39 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Fenton, MI
Posts: 88
RE: Tainted meat?
Most mechanical heads have at least a little exposed blade to fascilitate opening upon impact - to further clarify that statement, the majority of those have a minimum of 1" exposed blade in flight. Spitfires and the junk Punch-cutters are exceptions to this rule. I can' t see a Spitfire having failed this miserably; and does anyone actually use the later any more??? I shoot 2-blade mechanicals mysels (Vortex) and have had exceptional luck with them over the last 6 or so years. I do not feel that the wound was due to an unopened mechanical - this looks clearly field point to me... when you shoot a field point through a target, you normally get a round enterance hole the diameter of the head and a slightly larger exit, as it is pushing material with it upon exit. I see this on my fiber-filled target all the time when I get a punch-through - it pushes fiber out the back side.
There is no way this was a " hunter" of any sort with a 22. The enterance hole is too large. I would think that even a .22 LR would leave at least a little bloodshot or hydrostatic shock evidence. Anything firearm large enough to punch the enterance hole I see would have left evidence that is simply not there.
At least I have my restricted license left - good for a doe with my bow or any buck with 4 or more on one side, bow or rifle. All the spikes, forks and 6' s are now out of bounds for me for the rest of the season.[:' (][:@]
There is no way this was a " hunter" of any sort with a 22. The enterance hole is too large. I would think that even a .22 LR would leave at least a little bloodshot or hydrostatic shock evidence. Anything firearm large enough to punch the enterance hole I see would have left evidence that is simply not there.
At least I have my restricted license left - good for a doe with my bow or any buck with 4 or more on one side, bow or rifle. All the spikes, forks and 6' s are now out of bounds for me for the rest of the season.[:' (][:@]
