I shot a doe last night in one of my food plots about 30 minutes before dark. The shot placement looked decent but I only got about 15 inches of penetration and saw half of my arrow sticking out of her as she ran off the plot. After about 30 mins, I went to go see what kind of blood there was to make a decision of when to track. I couldn't find one drop of blood on the green broad turnip leaves, so I decided to back out and track her in the morning. The following morning, I picked up the blood trail and occasionally got a whiff of something dead when the wind blew in my face. The deer made it about 100 yards down the hill and at first glance she looked to be in good shape. However, after a closer inspection I realized she had a big slug-like material coming out of her mouth. I had never seen that before. Does anybody know what that is? That part did not really bother me, but this next thing did. As I'm about to flip her on her back to field dress, I see that there is a hole the size of a cantaloupe where her anus would be. There were a few maggots and bugs around the hole and I could see that most of the meat off her pelvic bone was cleaned off. I'm not sure how far up the body cavity the meat was stripped off but I could only see bone through the hole. It seemed that the deer had been hollowed out and it smelled like something was rotting even though the exterior looked clean. Has this happened to anyone before? Does anyone know what happened? Here's some pictures:
Maggots wouldn't pop up that fast in less than 24 hours. I've had possums and other things eat out the butt of a couple deer but never have I had maggots already there and we're talking a couple cases of a longer time frame then you quoted. You positive it is the same deer you shot?
Are you sure that coyotes or other critters didn't start eating her out? That's often where they will start. The maggots would make me wonder though.
I think you need to go look for the deer you shot last night, cause I don't think the one in the picture is it. Maggots take at least 24 hours to hatch.
Foxes, crows, vultures, etc........all go for eyes and bung hole first. The maggots though seem a bit early.
I agree with that maybe not being your deer as ironic as it may be. As mentioned, maggots take some time to hatch. Second, you stated you could smell something dead, while a stench can come from the internals being torn open or something, decomposition takes longer than 24 hours to set in.
I agree that the maggots would not start that fast especially with the nights getting down to 35f. Your deer is still out there somewhere.
I'm leaning towards opossum's because I commonly get them on trail camera in that area, but never thought of them eating a deer. I'm 99% sure that is my deer because that is the exact spot I hit it and half of my arrow and broadhead were still in the deer. I didn't know that it takes 24 hours for maggots to hatch, so they probably were not on the deer. I must have just saw bugs crawling around the inside and assumed maggots. Thank for all of the info!
I agree, on the fact that maggots within an overnight lay is not possible, that is not the deer you shot that night before.
Likely the smell is the fecal matter spread by the carrion eater. I shot a buck further back back than intended (quartering away so I still got vitals) a few years ago. I found him appx 8 hrs after I shot him, and he smelled a bit spoiled because of the offal. There was frost on the ground so heat wasn't the issue- he had been eating corn and apples so his intestines just smelled really rotten.
No question your deer with your arrow I wonder if the scavenger doing the eating had a open wond and transferred the maggots as I agree too soon for them to show up even if in the heat
Some types of maggots can hatch in mere hours, some flesh flies actually 'birth' maggots instead of laying eggs. But it's all yucky. From the thing coming out her mouth, the butt-coring 'possum, to the maggots.
had it happen to an elk a few year's ago in less than 8 hour's never seen what done it figured was coyote or maybe bear IDK. not sure about that maggot thing that is strange
The smell could be about anything. Ever smell a gut shot buck with a stomach full of acorns? It'll make ya heave.
