Lesson learned: Don't cut the head off of a rotten elk without gloves

[SilentButDeadly]

I came upon a dead bull elk on my scouting trip last week, I decided to cut the head off and hang it in a tree to keep the coyotes, bears, and vultures from eating the rack (still in velvet). The elk was mostly eaten (as you can see) and had turned rotten when I found it.

 

Apparently I had a tiny cut on my finger because it became infected within 48 hours and felt like I had sprain my knuckle, the infection spread up my arm and caused a fever - at which time I hurried to a hospital and got an series of I.V. antibiotics. The antibiotics seem to have done the trick - lucky me.

 

For those wondering how he died - I was 4 miles from the nearest highway, and 1.5 miles from the nearest dirt road. When I got the skin off his head I found that his teeth were completely worn out on the right side, and his molars were broken down the center - probably from the extreme wear. So, my vote is for malnutrition and old age.

video of dead bull

[tjhunt2]

Thanks for sharing that one with us. Reminded me of the time I decided to clean an elk head for a friend who left it in water for weeks and it spoiled. I brought it home and put it on the roof. When maggots started falling from the house and the neighbors complained of the smell my wife said enough. Well, I had to finish the job. Never did get the smell out of the antlers and the roof smelled for months.

 

Something to think about here .........One of a poacher's old tricks is to kill an elk and cut the head off and put it in a tree only to return later to recover the anlers once it has been cleaned by birds. Many of poachers have been caught this way. It's good you got the video just in case you needed it and you are a better man than me to have tackled that raunchy head. You must have edited the part of you puking while removing the head.

 

TJ

[Dodger2]

That's nasty...I think I would have just left it there for those nasty birds...

[Huntn coues]

That's one reason why I alway's where gloves.

 

So lay off me Gino!!!!!!