Why do deer killed by a car on the highway sometimes lie with their legs

[raccoon]

straight and stiff, sticking up in the air? Looks like to me they'd lie as limp as a rag doll.

[SacredCow]

1. Involuntary muscle contractions would be my guess... n/t

[Blue Diadem]

2. Rigor Mortis sets in.

I don't know how long it lasts or how long after death it occurs.

[Kali]

3. depends on air temp

after a while expanding gasses will hold them erect for a time as well in warm temps it all sags back down in a day or two.

[lost-in-nj]

6. We had one on the side of the road

for a long time last summer

It actually exploded, there is still a stain on the road

:puke:


lost

[Kali]

8. eww - yeah, you don't want me to get started

we have about 5 miles of county highway and 10 of railroad through the ranch. I have way too much expertise in large mammalian decomposition.:rofl: :puke:

[XemaSab]

10. Dude... speaking of dead animals

A couple weeks ago I was out on a ranch and our truck got stuck going through a muddy slough.

I tried to use a nearby dried cow hide, some ribs, and the scaps to get the truck out, but sadly it didn't work.

I have to get points for trying though. :P

[Kali]

12. MAJOR points! even I have never done such a thing!

too bad it didn't work. Hide too slippery in the mud? Lots of pieces of carpet in the bottoms of washes around these parts. I usually use brush and rocks. Mud is rarely a problem but sometimes teh sand is teh soft!

[XemaSab]

16. The mud was too slick

and we couldn't actually get anything under the tires. Too little traction.

Why do cows just die out on the range? What are some of the sources of mortality? :shrug:

[Kali]

19. when range cattle get sick, they generally die. (suspect tru of other large herbivores too)

they are so hardy that by the time they show symptoms of something they are usually gone.

The main causes are age and calving problems (usually young first timers or really old weak ones).

Other things (beside being hit by cars and trains, or intentionally being made into hamburger) are plastic garbage, lightening, getting stuck in the mud (!), shot by idiots, various types of poisonings (plant or chemical), occasionally snakebite although they usually handle that alright, starvation, cancers. For wild cattle (and deer etc) their teeth wear out and they can't eat very good anymore, get week and are much more subject to predation. Grown cattle are pretty safe from most predators. Lions will take a full grown, maybe a wolf pack, but usually when they take cows it will be right when they are down calving - very vulnerable time - I guess even black vultures will kill them then. I am most grateful we don't have to deal with that or screw worms anymore. Ugh - I have a bit of a larvae phobia and the thought of cleaning screwworm infested wounds sends me up the wall.

[XemaSab]

20. Thanks!

'Cause I worked on a site a few years ago that had a LOT of dead cows. Gave me the heebie-jeebies. :(

[Kali]

23. interesting - I wonder what it was.

[madinmaryland]

11. Sheesh! Thanks for the image, Gorn!!

:puke:

[lost-in-nj]

14. hi you

:hug:


sorry about the image though!!!!


:rofl:


lost

[skooooo]

22. Why didn't the county or someone pick it up??

[KG]

4. they got their legs in the air like they just don't care.

[skooooo]

21. lmao...

They started hip hop.

[yellowcanine]

5. Bloat + rigor mortis can do that.

[XemaSab]

9. That's my guess too

Gasses in the body don't have anywhere to go, so the skin swells up like a balloon.

You don't ever want to mess with an animal with its legs in the air. Trust me.

[Kali]

13. ah get in there and poke it with a stick, it's the BEST time to do it!

[unpossibles]

7. Because they can

why not?

[jobycom]

15. Loose morals. You try to teach them... nt

[MonkeyFunk]

17. because it's funnier that way

[Brigid]

18. I used to have a cat who slept like that sometimes.

It was hilarious! :rofl:

[Orrex]

24. Because doe rises?

:rofl: