Deer shot and fell into drainage ditch - is it past saving?

[idp]

Morning all, after a bit of advice. I shot a Roe this morning and it ran 20 m before dropping in a drainage ditch full of stinky water. I retrieved it but can't think of a safe way to process it. Every time I touch it there is dirty running water off its coat and no clean source of water for a couple of miles. Was head shot.

Anyway to make it good for consumption or is it fox food?

Thanks

 

[DavyG]

Morning all, after a bit of advice. I shot a Roe this morning and it ran 20 m before dropping in a drainage ditch full of stinky water. I retrieved it but can't think of a safe way to process it. Every time I touch it there is dirty running water off its coat and no clean source of water for a couple of miles. Was head shot.

Anyway to make it good for consumption or is it fox food?

Thanks

I’d have got it to somewhere that it could have been hosed off before doing anything with it.
DG

 

[Norfolk Horn]

I’d have got it to somewhere that it could have been hosed off before doing anything with it.
DG

We had a red a few weeks back. Took it to the farms wash down area and put the pressure on it before gralloch it.

 

[wildfowler.250]

I’d give it a big hose off and skin it a day or two later once dry? Surely everything under the skin should be clean

 

[timbrayford]

Morning all, after a bit of advice. I shot a Roe this morning and it ran 20 m before dropping in a drainage ditch full of stinky water. I retrieved it but can't think of a safe way to process it. Every time I touch it there is dirty running water off its coat and no clean source of water for a couple of miles. Was head shot.

Anyway to make it good for consumption or is it fox food?

Thanks

20m run for a head shot?

 

[slider]

 

[Bo Diddley]

20m run for a head shot?

It had its crash helmet on at the time

 

[Bo Diddley]

Morning all, after a bit of advice. I shot a Roe this morning and it ran 20 m before dropping in a drainage ditch full of stinky water. I retrieved it but can't think of a safe way to process it. Every time I touch it there is dirty running water off its coat and no clean source of water for a couple of miles. Was head shot.

Anyway to make it good for consumption or is it fox food?

Thanks

Gentle pressure wash before you attempt anything else, job sorted hopefully.

 

[Jon P]

It had its crash helmet on at the time

Head shot deer can run, and be a nightmare to retrieve too, possibly the ditch was the saving grace at the end, we will never know as we weren’t there.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Head shot deer can run, and be a nightmare to retrieve too, possibly the ditch was the saving grace at the end, we will never know as we weren’t there.

I suppose they can thinking about it... if the shot was poorly placed, dread to think of it really. Behind the ear or high neck and they drop like a sack of spuds

 

[idp]

20m run for a head shot?

It was a little bit too the back of the head, but it did drop dead and not drown. Second one dropped like a sack of spuds.

 

[idp]

I'll give it a wash and see what it's like, don't want to extend the gralloch to long. Thanks for the advice.

 

[caorach]

Morning all, after a bit of advice. I shot a Roe this morning and it ran 20 m before dropping in a drainage ditch full of stinky water. I retrieved it but can't think of a safe way to process it. Every time I touch it there is dirty running water off its coat and no clean source of water for a couple of miles. Was head shot.

Anyway to make it good for consumption or is it fox food?

Thanks

You definitely can't save it as if you shot it in the head not even a skilled surgeon could get it up and working again.

However, if you want to eat it then just go head. It probably lay down somewhere for a nap not long before you shot it and it may well have been wet and even more dirty than the ditch it fell into. Given the choice I'd not eat the coat though.

 

[Jon P]

I suppose they can thinking about it... if the shot was poorly placed, dread to think of it really. Behind the ear or high neck and they drop like a sack of spuds

I head shoot quite a few, only ever shoot when looking directly at you or away, never a side on shot. Does reduce the need of a second shot.

 

[cjm1066]

If you watched a restaurant doing that with your Sunday dinner would you give them your custom??

 

[Jon P]

I shot a fallow buck a few weeks ago that must of been bedding down in a farm muck heap somewhere, smelt like he had been gut shot. This one was shot in the head. Carcass went to game dealer , no comeback from vet. So must of been ok.

 

[spannulman]

It might be a few hours too late but I wouldn’t worry. This one two weeks ago ran a couple of yards and then did its final kicking in this hole, throwing mud and water everywhere. I felt like you at first, then dragged it to a burn and rinsed it as best I could. But the thick winter coat had absorbed a fair bit of dirty water. It was still running down my arm as I skinned it.

But once skinned it was fine. My only precaution was that I wouldn’t give it to friends etc and just ate it ourselves, just in case. But it was not a problem.

 

[Hayduke]

They can have an annoying habit of piling into water once whacked.

 

[samdk]

20m run for a head shot?

I was thinking the same thing!

 

[Pete6.5]

I know some aren't going to like this but if we want top dollar for are deer we should be stricter with what we take to the game dealer. I would leave it for the benefit of wildlife and go find another to shoot. If you must keep it keep it for home consumption.