Dead Deer Rotting Time: How Long Does it Take?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ivan Seeking
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
A user discovered a dead deer on their property, which appeared to be suffering from a lethal hair loss disease, reminiscent of previous sarcoptic mange outbreaks. They expressed concern about how to manage the carcass, noting the unpleasantness of dealing with it and questioning how long it would take to decay. Responses highlighted that decomposition could take weeks to months, depending on environmental factors like temperature and insect activity. Suggestions included burying the carcass, using lime to hasten decay, or even incinerating it, though the latter raised concerns about safety and legality. The discussion also touched on the broader issue of deer health in the area, with one user mentioning they contacted wildlife authorities but received little assistance. Humor and anecdotes about past experiences with dead animals and decay added levity to the conversation, while practical advice focused on managing the situation effectively without causing further issues. Ultimately, the user decided to cover the deer with compost, indicating a preference for a natural approach to decomposition.
Ivan Seeking
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
8,194
Reaction score
2,501
Yikes! I discovered a dead deer on the property today. The deer around here have a real problem with a lethal "hair loss disease", and boy oh boy, this one was in really bad shape. It reminds of the sarcoptic mange episodes in the south last year [discussed in the Biology forum].

So here's the thing. Its pretty ripe and I'm probably going to lose my lunch if I have to deal with it. On the other hand, I can't let it lay around and rot all summer. How long will it take for this to decay to a tolerable state. Since its a bit out of sight, out of mind, is it reasonable to leave it rot? I have never had such a large animal to deal with. Will it take weeks, or months, to take care of itself?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ivan Seeking said:
Yikes! I discovered a dead deer on the property today. The deer around here have a real problem with a lethal "hair loss disease", and boy oh boy, this one was in really bad shape. It reminds of the sarcoptic mange episodes in the south last year [discussed in the Biology forum].?
Whoa--This sounds like a bigger problem than what to do with the carcass. According to information on this site http://www.naturalcanine.com/html/mange.html , it sounds like the deer should be given a proper diet and herb supplements (what are you got growin' round there?), as well as a shampoo and/or chemical dip--maybe Rogain or something.

Ivan Seeking said:
So here's the thing. Its pretty ripe and I'm probably going to lose my lunch if I have to deal with it. On the other hand, I can't let it lay around and rot all summer. How long will it take for this to decay to a tolerable state. Since its a bit out of sight, out of mind, is it reasonable to leave it rot? I have never had such a large animal to deal with. Will it take weeks, or months, to take care of itself?
Are you down wind? Any dogs or wild animals to help finish things up? Otherwise it may be time to get the shovel--maybe the chain saw too...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm not sure how long it will take to rot, that will depend a bit on the insects around and temperature as well as what other scavengers (skunks?) will be munching on it. But, if it's out of the way, it shouldn't take too long to get to a point where it stops smelling bad. You won't still be smelling it by summer, if that's what you're worried about. As soon as the last frost passes, fly season will start and they'll take care of anything left by then.

Reminds me of when we used to do spring field trips for the bio labs when I was TA. One year, there was a dead deer along the path of the field trip through the woods. Since most of the animals run and hide after the first class tromps through the path, the dead deer was considered a bonus by the course coordinator and he even wrote paragraph for us to add to our "tour" to include the dead deer! I don't think the students walking past it thought it was such a bonus, though it did help keep them on the path there! :biggrin:
 
Oh good. It's extremely warm and the bugs and critters are out in force. I really didn't want to bury this thing. The big problem is that I broke my toe, and really screwed up my digging foot, two weeks ago, and am not able to put on a shoe yet.
 
If it really bothers you, buy a bag of lyme and cover the beastie with it. It will ummm hasten the prosess :frown:
 
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh good. It's extremely warm and the bugs and critters are out in force. I really didn't want to bury this thing. The big problem is that I broke my toe, and really screwed up my digging foot, two weeks ago, and am not able to put on a shoe yet.

Sorry to hear about your toe. OUCH!

You could of course do a forensic study on how long it takes to decay and what insects are found on various days of decay. :-p
 
Okay. I'll post pics.
 
do you want my recipe for venison jerky, Ivan?
 
Oh boy! Diseased deer jerky. Ummmmm.

Does that go with red or white wine?
 
  • #10
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh boy! Diseased deer jerky. Ummmmm.

Does that go with red or white wine?
LOL! :smile:
I'm not sure, but my Roadkill Cookbook might have some suggestions. When I was growing up in Alabama, we ate far worse things than that.
 
  • #11
Ivan Seeking said:
Okay. I'll post pics.

:rolleyes: No thanks. I know what dead deer look like. And maggots always give me the creeps. Dead things shouldn't move the way they do when infested with maggots.
 
  • #12
Math Is Hard said:
LOL! :smile:
I'm not sure, but my Roadkill Cookbook might have some suggestions. When I was growing up in Alabama, we ate far worse things than that.

Oh, here's something totally gross. When I was out shopping a few weeks ago at this huge international market near here, I can't recall what section I was in (there doesn't seem to be an ethnic group missed in that place...great for finding obscure ingredients), but there was a can of chocolate-covered maggots! On purpose, people apparently eat them. I scurried away from that aisle pretty quickly!
 
  • #13
Moonbear said:
Oh, here's something totally gross. When I was out shopping a few weeks ago at this huge international market near here, I can't recall what section I was in (there doesn't seem to be an ethnic group missed in that place...great for finding obscure ingredients), but there was a can of chocolate-covered maggots! On purpose, people apparently eat them. I scurried away from that aisle pretty quickly!
wow! That's really vile. Sounds like one of those weird French delicacies.
 
  • #14
This probably won't be pretty because I'd have trouble making it pretty even if I wasn't so tired, but... I'm sure Moonbear knows much much more about biology than I do, but maggots used to creep me out also- not insects in general though- anyway, I saw a show where they were using maggots to treat wounds that were infected and wouldn't heal (or something like that). They put the maggots on the wound and cover it with a bandage and the maggots just go to town. And it works. So this totally creeped me out until they said the maggots don't eat live tissue. And that was it. Maggots don't creep me out anymore. Does that not help?
 
  • #15
SOS2008 said:
it sounds like the deer should be given a proper diet and herb supplements (what are you got growin' round there?), as well as a shampoo and/or chemical dip--maybe Rogain or something.
Ivan, are you not shampooing your deer regularly?

(sorry to hear about your toe, which one?)
 
  • #16
Evo said:
(sorry to hear about your toe, which one?)
the top one
 
  • #17
Ivan Seeking said:
Oh good. It's extremely warm and the bugs and critters are out in force. I really didn't want to bury this thing. The big problem is that I broke my toe, and really screwed up my digging foot, two weeks ago, and am not able to put on a shoe yet.


Your digging foot?
:confused:
 
  • #18
I think he means the foot he would use to force the shovel blade into the ground. One usually needs a shoe, unless one is conditioned with hard soles on the feet.

I think a large carcass takes a few weeks in the summer, but perhaps a month or more in winter, at least that has been my experience with midsize to large animals. We have a fair amount of road kill (deer included) in our area.
 
Last edited:
  • #19
Around here usualy the road kill lasts for a few weeks... At most 2 months... That is unless it snows... In which case the snow plow takes care of it for us
 
  • #20
Couldn't you just go to a fishing place, get some 'bait' live maggots, and leave them on the deer?
 
  • #21
Astronuc said:
I think he means the foot he would use to force the shovel blade into the ground. One usually needs a shoe, unless one is conditioned with hard soles on the feet.
Actually, in this case Ivan does have a "digging foot." It is webbed and bony...and apparently has a toe on top, a rather useless appendage, though some anthropologists suspect it may be used as part of a reproductive ritual.
Astronuc said:
...at least that has been my experience with midsize to large animals. We have a fair amount of road kill (deer included) in our area.
It's a good thing for the last sentence. For a moment I thought we had another Jeffrey Domer on our hands.

Wow, now that I think about it, Ivan--was the deer "losing hair" or was it shaved, huh? :smile:
 
  • #22
SOS2008 said:
Wow, now that I think about it, Ivan--was the deer "losing hair" or was it shaved, huh? :smile:
heh :biggrin:
 
  • #23
Maybe it was the radiation from your spaceship that made all its hair fall out before killing it? :biggrin: :smile:

SOS, where exactly does one find a "digging foot" on an alien's body? Is it where an ordinary foot is usually found, or does it grow someplace else? :smile:
 
  • #24
Ivan,

I would contact someone with a backhoe or a skid steer and bury it if you can't find someone to remove it. I don't know how close it is to your house, but your lookin at some funky breezes for awhile, and not to mention all those fly's and whatever other bugs are consuming it are carrying what they got to your house to share with you. Bury it, the sooner the better.
 
  • #25
Moonbear said:
Maybe it was the radiation from your spaceship that made all its hair fall out before killing it? :biggrin: :smile:

SOS, where exactly does one find a "digging foot" on an alien's body? Is it where an ordinary foot is usually found, or does it grow someplace else? :smile:
While I am not an expert on anatomy of aliens, it is my understanding that on the planet Querohor (pronounced Kweer-o-whore) not to be confused with Quaoar (pronounced Kwah-o-whar), the "digging foot" is at the end of a limb very similar to the human leg. As not much is known yet of Querohorians, it is guessed that this placement does not pose a problem if the male's toe on top is well enough endowed.
 
  • #26
Sigh...

Has no one thought of calling the game warden? Isn't that why we pay these people? While they are unable to tend every single deer killed, they will usually remove it if you ask them. I would also mention that since a deer is considered game with a limited hunting season I would not want to get caught messing with one out of season no matter what the circumstance is of its death. Call the department of game fish and parks.
 
  • #27
There are a lot of deer and they all die eventually, somewhere. I would only bother calling to have it removed if it was in the middle of a roadway or hiking or biking path, causing an obstruction. Ivan has described his property as rather large and in a pretty rural area in the past, so unless it's really bothering him, there's no need to do anything other than let nature take its course. Game wardens have better things to do, and bringing in a backhoe seems rather extreme for a deer carcass. Besides, all those baby skunks Ivan is going to have soon will need something to eat! :biggrin:
 
  • #28
My parents called the game warden when a mountain lion killed our two goats and he hauled them away. She was very glad because she wouldn't have to bury it. I was already away at school and my sisters aren't much for any type of work. They hauled it away somewhere, and for a while one of my sisters fretted herself over her cat whenever she was put out for the night.
 
  • #29
yea id bury the thing - it would decay much faster. i once was burying rabbits after my dad's experiments.. some scientific childhood :zzz:
 
  • #30
I was going to respond but I don't know where to begin! :smile:

Anyway, I broke the little toe on my second right foot which really took a hit as well. This is not the time of year to be out of commission. :mad:
 
  • #31
Ivan Seeking said:
Anyway, I broke the little toe on my second right foot which really took a hit as well. This is not the time of year to be out of commission. :mad:

Your second right foot? I've heard of people claiming to have two left feet, but this would be the first case I've heard of someone with two right feet. :biggrin:
 
  • #32
hey HEY HEY@!

what are we talking about here HUH!
 
  • #33
:smile: :smile: :smile: a second right foot with a toe on top?
 
  • #34
hypatia said:
:smile: :smile: :smile: a second right foot with a toe on top?

And it's a little toe, not even a well-endowed toe. :smile:
 
  • #35
Put on a mask, take some gasoline, and incinerate the deer.
 
  • #36
Now that's good thinking!

Integral, we're having another BBQ.
 
  • #37
Ivan Seeking said:
Now that's good thinking!

Integral, we're having another BBQ.
Hummm... Yumm... :rolleyes:
 
  • #38
Is there a pyromaniac gene on the Y chromosome? :biggrin:
 
  • #39
Moonbear said:
And it's a little toe, not even a well-endowed toe. :smile:

I am well-endowed with an extra foot.
 
  • #40
Hmm, all this just reminds me of the Peter Greenaway movie A Zed and Two Noughts (in which one of the main characters has a mania for making time lapse movies of decaying carcasses).

Also, would this be a good time to mention "http://xenia.media.mit.edu/~solan/dogsinelk/ "?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #41
Ivan Seeking said:
I am well-endowed with an extra foot.
You're lucky in having a whole foot to display on special occasions. Most guys have only inches, you know..
 
Last edited:
  • #42
How to bury cows, and other large mammals (tried and tested old family method):
1- Assuming your cow is lying on its side (dead), approach it and begin to dig a hole by its back, parallel with its spine.
2- Dig the hole both deep, and wide until satisfied with dimensions.
3- Undermine cow gradually, so that it overhangs the pit.
4- Give cow a gentle shove*, allowing gravity to do the rest. Minimal effort required for such a large beast.
5- Realise hole is in no way big enough for cow in question.
6- Attemt to remove cow.
7- Realise cow weighs a metric tonne.
8- Give up and attempt to bury cow anyway.
9- Pick method according to preference, and orientation of cow:
a) Bury cow anyway, leaving extremely large and conspicuous mound of earth.
b) Fetch saw, and commence removal of upwards pointing legs (most effective if distressed calf is watching from next field, making pitiful noises.) and then bury cow.
10- Dust self off, go for a pint.

*If deer, elk, moose or otherwise, a saw may be required to remove antlers before proceeding.
 
Last edited:
  • #43
Haha- this is also an effective for collapsing castle walls. Dig a tunnel under a large enough section of the wall, using wooden or other flammable supports. When you're ready, set the supports on fire and run. :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
  • #44
Ivan Seeking said:
I am well-endowed with an extra foot.
arildno said:
You're lucky in having a whole foot to display on special occasions. Most guys have only inches, you know..
Heh--that's a goodun.:smile:
 
  • #45
SOS2008 said:
Heh--that's a goodun.:smile:
On second thoughts, the ladies might not agree that it is a good one?
 
  • #46
Moonbear got really quiet didn't she. :biggrin:
 
  • #47
Ivan Seeking said:
Moonbear got really quiet didn't she. :biggrin:

Well, as long as Tsu is happy with it... :rolleyes: :smile:
 
  • #48
Ivan,

If you have a vet school within a hundred miles are so, you might want to call them and see if they would like some samples from this deer, with the understanding they are to take care of the remains after getting the samples.

You never know. They are always looking for these types of things to study.
 
  • #49
Grace, I can't think of a single reason that a several (or more) day old, decaying deer carcass would be of use to anyone.

It's just a dead deer, that's all, nothing special, there are lots of deer and they die. Nature has been handling these things for a long time; there's no need to interfere unless it's an inconvenience where it's located.
 
  • #50
I called the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife in case they are interested in tracking the spread of the disease, but they said this is everywhere and I'm on my own.

One funny aside here. There was an oil spill in a small creek near Portland yesterday. I think there was one duck killed. Yesterday on the 5PM news they showed a big map with a large caption and arrow: DEAD DUCK HERE

I about died laughing. Talk about a slow news day! :smile:

edit: oh yes, on the morning news we were informed that one of the two injured ducks is doing well and preening itself. Thank God! :smile: :smile: :smile:
 

Similar threads

How does our understanding of time shape our perception of reality?
Replies
4
Views
2K
Can Evolved State: Dichotomy Capture Your Imagination?
Replies
1
Views
4K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top