Hauled out the second deer.

[dead meat]

Second dead mule deer in my feed stacks in a week, both looked to be fawns. Not sure what they died from, lots of snow this year but mild temps and they just recently started coming in the yard so i assume they were finding enough food hanging out with the group. Not real happy with them keeling over in my yard, have enough diseases to think about already. They claim that CW won't infect cattle but......
Should present some coyote shooting ravens and magpies are feasting already.

 

[MiG25]

A sudden change in diet to hay can kill deer and sheep. Something about gut bacteria.

 

[Potashminer]

A sudden change in diet to hay can kill deer and sheep. Something about gut bacteria.

Yep - I was involved with Sask Wildlife Federation in 1970's or maybe 1980's - hundreds of feeders were built and hauled out in many parts of the province - loaded up with alfafa pellets - I think we killed thousands of deer trying to provide feed for them - they got plugged up - constipated. Ranch in Southern Sask cleans out dozens, maybe hundreds of dead deer every spring - deer get into the hay lot - found dead.

Nature's way, I guess - winter coyotes have to eat. Springtime bears find the carcasses for their first good feed. All kind of goes together.

 

[MiG25]

Same thing happened in BC, alfalfa hay was put out for bighorn sheep and it killed them.

 

[DVXDUDE]

Have heard of this with corn before as well, guess ya have to alternate feed sources?

 

[Potashminer]

I do not know about the rest of Canada - seems to me on the Prairies the deer have been here many thousands of years, so had something figured out, without our "help". Seem to have to eat good in summer and fall, build up fat reserves - survive through heavy snow and cold by nibbling away on hanging dead leaves, small tufts of exposed grasses, etc. - and a lot die every winter. We get them into the yard mostly late February and March - probably starving - have run out of any stored fat - can see ribs, etc. - looking for anything - but probably would kill them by putting out food at that time.

 

[canadian hunter312]

Have heard of this with corn before as well, guess ya have to alternate feed sources?

There must be a very significant number of people out there killing deer with their good intentions, either by improper feed or congregating animals to spread disease. Mainly city folk with zero idea about wildlife who move out to the sticks and think deer start starving as soon as snow sticks on the ground.

Very unfortunate for the deer.

 

[scruffee]

This snow is crazy and the couple thaws we got (including today's) are just making it worst/harder for them to go around. These deer are getting pushed around by snowmobiles, shed hunters (I cannot f'n believe the amount of dudes going in the bush for antlers right now) and predators. I can see finding lots of dead deer this spring.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Same thing happened in BC, alfalfa hay was put out for bighorn sheep and it killed them.

Alfalfa is very rich and creates gas while digesting , it will kill cattle grazing on it, as any rancher can tell you.

Grizz

 

[MiG25]

Alfalfa is very rich and creates gas while digesting , it will kill cattle grazing on it, as any rancher can tell you.

Grizz

Maybe's it's folk wisdom and not science but to my understanding bloat is caused by cattle getting into wet alfalfa, never heard of it from hay in the winter, doesn't mean it can't happen I guess.

I think the mechanism that kills deer and sheep feed hay in the winter is that they eat it, cannot digest it and get plugged up. So the opposite of bloat, which is fast digestion and gas.

 

[todbartell]

I found the scraps off a dead mulie fawn just after Xmas here. Not sure what killed it, but there wasn't much left of it. It's been a mild winter

 

[220]

Can not find the US deer study but unlike cattle deer do not bloat or plug up from hay it said

 

[Prairie Plinker]

This snow is crazy and the couple thaws we got (including today's) are just making it worst/harder for them to go around. These deer are getting pushed around by snowmobiles, shed hunters (I cannot f'n believe the amount of dudes going in the bush for antlers right now) and predators. I can see finding lots of dead deer this spring.

I agree, on all accounts unfortunately. I've got all my fingers crossed that these mild temperatures we're getting right now will continue into Spring, if we get a two or three week really cold snap they'll be in some trouble.