J@son
Well-Known Member
Shot this MJ buck this morning. He was in quite thick cover. He was feeding and I didn't notice anything unusual although I could only really see his head and neck - I couldn't make out the rest of him or observe how he was moving. Dropped him with the shot to the back of his head / top of his neck. When I picked him up his general condition seemed ok but the muscle of his back leg (on his right) was as hard as a rock. The skin looked tight but it wasn't red or hot. On closer inspection the whole leg looked like it was full of pus - which with a bit of pressure started oozing out a small puncture to the skin. It was grim. It was like the leg had died. I also noticed that he only had one testical. Antler development looked normal. And, apart from what I assume was some sort of abscess within the muscle of the haunch, he looked (bizarrely) in reasonable condition. I condemned the whole carcass on the basis that he must have been fighting (and losing) a battle with sepsis.
