# Dead Animal



## LaytonArcher (Jul 13, 2009)

Would like opinions on how much a carcass will effect animals coming into water. I have been hunting an area with several wallows in the area. On saturday while walking in you could smell a rotting carcass from a mile away. With little time left I didn't have an option to hike somewhere else. I had elk coming in just before dark but wouldn't come into the meadow area i was hunting. How much would the smell of carcass affect animals hitting water etc.? The person who shot it left the horns (spike) and most of the animal. Took the strap, quarters, etc and left the rest.

Just curious if I should find another spot?

LA


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

I'd be more concerned about what type of predators could be visiting curbing your animal of interest needs. Would have been pretty easy for the person ahead of you to drag what was left of the carcass out of the area.


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## hawkeye (Feb 18, 2008)

A carcass like that can weigh several hundred pounds. Assuming the hunter that shot the elk took the usable meat, I have no problem with him leaving the carcass where it died. What more should he have done . . . buried it? Perhaps you can set up on the carcass and kill a nice coyote or a couple of magpies. Good luck!

Hawkeye


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I think the stink will bother you more than the critters. They probably come across them all the time. It's not only man that kills them.


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

And I believe that the animals will avoid that area....


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## havnfun (Dec 3, 2007)

I don't know about a carcass, but I know of guys who have used a elk head as cover sent.


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## bloodtrail (Sep 20, 2007)

Technically, whoever killed the elk should have taken the head as proof that it was a spike and not a larger bull. If a lot of meat was wasted, you should consider calling the DWR to investigate. 

My experience has been that I see a lot less animals for as much as a year following a kill in the area. I don't know if it is predators they fear or whatever killed the carcass.

My favorite water hole had a cow carcass less than 5 feet from the water this weekend as well. Would have been nice if they would have pulled it to where it wouldn't sour the water hole.


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## East_Fork (Apr 22, 2009)

Last year my older brother shot a 5 point bull not 80 yards away from a dead 6 point bull that had been there for about 4 or 5 days. The wind wasn't in our direction, so we didn't know it was there, but as a few horsemen came through and stumbled upon it, we went up to see what all the noise was about. Man, I tell you what, that thing was rank! They also tried to cut the head off with a knife. BARF.... is all I wanted to do! anywho, the 5 point was beaded 80 yards from this dead elk, so I don't think it really matters all that much. But I could be wrong.

dallan


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## tuffluckdriller (May 27, 2009)

I killed one last year (archery, 2nd to last day) in the same meadow they keep coming to this year. In fact, a few weeks after I killed mine, on opening day of the rifle, my brother-in-law (buck/bull fever) missed a nice 5 point bull in the same spot at 80 yards with his rifle. His friend killed the other 5 point that was with it. (Can't get him to settle down)


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

bloodtrail said:


> Technically, whoever killed the elk should have taken the head as proof that it was a spike and not a larger bull. If a lot of meat was wasted, you should consider calling the DWR to investigate.
> 
> .


Do you have to actually take the horns or just evidence of the sex? Not that I make practice of it (because I like the antlers even if they're little) but I've heard of guys just keeping the nads attatched to one quarter as evidence of sex before.

I do agree however that if they didn't take as much of the usable meat as practically possible it warrants investigation.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

WasatchOutdoors said:


> bloodtrail said:
> 
> 
> > Technically, whoever killed the elk should have taken the head as proof that it was a spike and not a larger bull. If a lot of meat was wasted, you should consider calling the DWR to investigate.
> ...


I think what he was refering to was to prove that it was a spike not a bigger bull, if it is on a spike only hunt.


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## hawkeye (Feb 18, 2008)

WasatchOutdoors said:


> bloodtrail said:
> 
> 
> > I do agree however that if they didn't take as much of the usable meat as practically possible it warrants investigation.


Have you guys ever heard of the gutless method? You remove the quarters, the back straps, the tenderloins and any other usable meat and then leave the remaining carcass. This is the method of choice for most back country elk hunters.

I have attached a link with pictures: http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?nam ... cle&sid=27

Hawkeye


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

On a spike only hunt, you would need to bring the antlers as well as the package.


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