Well, I've been getting reports of folks finding dead deer here and there. Wardney stopped by yesterday, was telling me that Robbie had found several on his farm. Robbie's property line is about 1/2 mile from my camera #1. That's where I got the picture of the sick deer. Talked to brother in law Donnie, they just found a dead doe, a week or so ago? Donnie and the boys hunt the property, 2 farms downstream.

We talked about it yesterday, an animal the size of a deer, the carcass won't last long. We've been warm, with temps up in the 70's at daylight. Between the varmints, buzzards and blow flies. It would be pretty much gone in a week.

Talking about the deer's knees. The way I understand things, the animal will get so weak, that they can't eat or drink standing on all 4, so they'll go down on their knees. The pictures that Mr. Teet's showed me of that skeleton deer, as well as I remember that deer had worn the hide off of it's knees. The animal was starving to death, until someone put a bullet through it's shoulders.

That was 2 years ago when "blue tongue" was confirmed east of the mountain, late summer 2016. They say as a rule, most of the carcasses are found near water.

Another friend found a carcass on his property, said it tested positive for CWD.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not seeing many fawns on my cameras.

Acorns are just starting to fall, from what I've heard they are spotty. Wardney said the bear had tore the hell out of Nancy's corn fields, and Robbie had a lot of damage also.

Our early bear season started yesterday, for 7 days.

Ooop's, that was a vertical picture, and I didn't do it right! The man on the right is 6 feet tall. I'll try to change that picture when I get back on the home computer.

Above we were talking about our bear being lean, that female weighed 206 pounds. Soaking wet, it rained all day yesterday, water was dripping off while we weighed it. Looking at her teeth, I'd say she's got some age on her. I did pull a tooth, the DNR will check it out and hopefully I'll get a report. The bear just doesn't have any fur, and that's what makes them look skinny. It was field dressed, and it did have a good layer of fat.

WV's early bear season ends tomorrow, 9/29/18. Our regular rifle bear season starts Monday, the week of Thanksgiving and goes till December 31st. Our bear should be furred up, slick and glossy looking then.

Getting more reports of folks finding dead deer near the waterhole.

Seems like this computer has a mind of it's own. Anyway, in this picture you can see how flat looking the bear hide is. Notice where the man has his hand on the pelt, you can still see his fingers and thumb, the fur is really thin.

I checked camera #4 yesterday, it had been out 4 weeks, it had 397 pictures. Notice the turkeys behind the stump, I can see 9.





Here's a picture from camera #2, I can't identify what it is. I have 4 consecutive pictures, they are all about the same. A bear climbed up that tree, about 6 months ago, and bit my camera, she's still working. Whatever it was this time the little camera is still working. I'll check the tree for fresh claw marks, next time up. If it was a bear, I'll be able to track it, that's a pine tree.

I checked camera #4 yesterday, 179 pictures, that was 2 weeks worth of pictures. Very few daylight deer pictures, as well as I can tell there are 4 different buck deer. Including one little spike, with horns about as long as your pinky finger.



Last Sunday morning, 10/14/18, a man that lives up the road 25 miles called me and wanted the phone # for a DNR officer. He said there was a deer standing in his front yard, it had been standing there since daylight. Said it was nothing but skin and bones. He said he didn't think that she could walk, figured she'd just plop down and die right there in his yard.

John has livestock in the pasture between his house and the river, told him if it was me, I'd go ahead and put the deer down. He didn't feel comfortable doing that.

I called the "non emergency" number for the 911 center, told the operator what the deal was, gave her his name and directions and all.

John called me back the other day, said 2 DNR officers showed up later, just walked up to the deer and put it down. The deer had moved 50 yards or so? The officers checked it over, told John from what they could tell it was "blue tongue".

Talked to a game biologist from the DNR's District 2 office the other day, I've never met the lady, but we talked and I asked her what's killing all of our deer? She said, honestly, we're not sure what all it is.

She said they'd been getting lots of reports of dead deer in Hardy and Grant counties. I live in Hardy Co. Had a man tell me the other day, they'd found 8 dead deer laying around the neighbors farm pond. I've had a bunch of folks tell me about finding 3 or 4 here or there, nearly all of the carcasses are near water.

But the lady biologist told me to ask people to report any fresh carcass that they'd happen to find. The DNR would send someone out to take tissue samples.

I'd have that rock set a long time ago!

And I'm glad I don't have to fool around with bears!!!