Dead Animals Everywhere!

[+MMarshall]

Trying to get to a cache, and find out I'm on the wrong side of a lake! But that wasn't the worst of it. I saw at least three dead animals, all right together, in various stages of decay.

 

I didn't get out in the country much before I started caching this year, so maybe this is regular and normal. But it really disturbed me. I was probably on private property, so is there anything wrong with this?

 

I feel like I should report it to someone. Am I just over-reacting?

 

Here's the address for the not-TOO-gruesome photo. Sorry, looks like I can't insert or link a tripod photo, you'll have to cut-and-paste the URL.

http://marshallmd.tripod.com/DSCN1231.JPG

 

Mike

O-

[+JSWilson64]

I was probably on private property, so is there anything wrong with this?

If you didn't have the permission of the property owner, yes, there's something wrong!

 

p.s. - get the tetanus shot!

[+headybrew]

Trying to get to a cache, and find out I'm on the wrong side of a lake! But that wasn't the worst of it. I saw at least three dead animals, all right together, in various stages of decay.

 

I didn't get out in the country much before I started caching this year, so maybe this is regular and normal. But it really disturbed me. I was probably on private property, so is there anything wrong with this?

 

I feel like I should report it to someone. Am I just over-reacting?

 

Here's the address for the not-TOO-gruesome photo. Sorry, looks like I can't insert or link a tripod photo, you'll have to cut-and-paste the URL.

http://marshallmd.tripod.com/DSCN1231.JPG

 

Mike

O-

 

I guess that depends on why they were dead. Were they shot by poachers out of season? Report it to the fish&game department. Were they birds? Could be west nile virus. Report that to... ??? there must be someone...

 

It is not common to find more than one or so dead animals in a given area. Multiple dead animals could be suspicious of something.

[+headybrew]

If you didn't have the permission of the property owner, yes, there's something wrong!

 

That also depends... Was the land posted "No tresspassing" ?

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Trying to get to a cache, and find out I'm on the wrong side of a lake! But that wasn't the worst of it. I saw at least three dead animals, all right together, in various stages of decay.

 

I didn't get out in the country much before I started caching this year, so maybe this is regular and normal. But it really disturbed me. I was probably on private property, so is there anything wrong with this?

 

I feel like I should report it to someone. Am I just over-reacting?

 

Here's the address for the not-TOO-gruesome photo. Sorry, looks like I can't insert or link a tripod photo, you'll have to cut-and-paste the URL.

http://marshallmd.tripod.com/DSCN1231.JPG

 

Mike

O-

 

First, the image linked does not load. The page loads fine, but no image appears. I temporarily disabled the relevant parts of my firewall in case it was blocking the image, but that did not help upon reload. So, no picture! (Late edit: found that pic does load only if I use cut and paste to browser bar!)

 

Next, you did not tell us what types of animals these were. In many areas -- including the state trailhead parking lot up the street from our wilderness home -- legitimate hunters and poachers alike often dispose of deer carcasses and guts in a heap next to the parking lot, despite the fact that most other users of the parking area hate it! In many states, it is legal for farmers to dispose of dead livestock by leaving accumulated bodies in a pile or in an open shallow grave somewhere on their property. This is not illegal in many areas, and does not necessarily pose any health hazard nor any other hazard.

 

Lastly, there is the issue of your having been on private property, and that might put YOU in the hot seat -- and THAT depends entirely upon what state you were in. . . In some states, such as Maryland and Idaho, it is perfectly legal to walk anywhere (except for lawns and cultivated farm fields) unless the property is posted with No Trespassing signs or with other types of Posted markers (these vary from state to state.) In other states, such as Wyoming, you are required by law to assume that all property is private and that trespassing is not allowed unless you know for sure, via signage, maps, or owner permission, that you have permission to enter that property (i.e. a state park or national park, or a private property with owner permission to hike.)

Edited May 17, 2006 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+Tsmola]

from the pic, it appears to be a small dog or pig and a horse, not exactly game animals, very odd...

 

I wouldn't get worked up over it though, if you are gonna keep caching, you are gonna find more dead animals so you might as well get used to it.

 

Now, if you find a human body, THEN you have something to report.

[Proverbs]

Can't open pic? If your in western NE there are plenty of scavengers out there. I'm suprised any dead critters had time to decay. Can you attach a pic?

[+Treasure Hunting Family]

The pic opens if you copy the link and paste it to your address bar. Very odd pic but I have no idea what to do. Seems they must have a reason to be there.

[+supertbone]

I would report it depending on the situation. If you find a bunch of dead birds or rodents I would report it because bubonic plague is an issue in the West coast.

[+Miragee]

Sad picture. I suppose if the animals died over the winter, there was no way to dig even a shallow grave for the horses . . .

 

EDIT to add a smaller version of the picture:

 

Edited May 17, 2006 by Miragee

[Proverbs]

Them front two look like dead Colts of the horse variety (hooves) can't tell about the back one. Ya know they got them there Mountain Lions our that way but generally a big cat's going to guard or carry off anything it kills...........I think. But why three in a row. I'd guess they died from lead.

 

I'd be tempted to drop an anonimous call to the local authorities with the coordinates. Use a pay phone everybody had caller ID.

 

Every few years there's something funky happens in the state with some strange livestock killings, not saying that's the case here though. When I was a kid it was cattle showing up dead with slit throats and their heart cut out. A few years ago it was sheep in the eastern part of the state.

[Luckless]

Was out bird watching the other day and nearly tripped over a deer leg. Took my mind off the birds in the trees long enough to look down on the ground and saw lots of animal bones and fur. We saw what could have been a bear track in some dried mud a few minutes earlier. The area is used by hunters and the animal parts may have just been left over from skinning the deer.

It's always good to be aware that you may not be alone.

[MouseFart]

Looks to me like nothing to worry about. Farm & Ranch animals always seem to decide it's time to die while in a barn or pens area. Due to these generally being the feeding or bedding areas, we drag ours off to a secluded part of the ranch, away from where the smell and decomp process can happen all by itself.

[+clearpath]

Looks to me like nothing to worry about. Farm & Ranch animals always seem to decide it's time to die while in a barn or pens area. Due to these generally being the feeding or bedding areas, we drag ours off to a secluded part of the ranch, away from where the smell and decomp process can happen all by itself.

Yep, we own property in a secluded area of the county and people have 'dumped' their dead animals on us for years. By looking at the photo, it looks as if the animals were placed or dumped in that location.

[nobby.nobbs]

aliens!!!!!!

 

play innocent don't mention caching just got lost and stumble over them... let the local police know. probably nothing but better for them to know.

[4wheelin_fool]

 

They were trespassing..

[+Isonzo Karst]

a horse hoof would make a great micro container......

[+sbell111]

Are you sure that there are three animals? The front one looks like the back end of the second one. Possibly a cougar (or whatever you call them in your area) or some other predator took them down.

 

I wouldn't stress about it too much.

[+MMarshall]

Couldn't find an address for the area's Sheriff, so I e-mailed my own. NOT anonymously!

 

So, I won't stress over the animals any more, but I might over being arrested!!

 

Further updates as conditions warrant - unless I'm in jail!

 

Mike

O-

[+Zzyzx Road]

You don't have a forensics entity that is doing studies of flies and other decay information do you?

[+PandyBat]

Looks like goat remains to me. My guess is that you were on private property and that the landowner used this specific area to dump remains. Since they are in various stages of decay, that makes more sense to me than anything. Now, if they had all been freshly lain to rest here and all had the same stage of decay, I might think something fishy was going on.

[+Team LaLonde]

Looks like older animals that were no longer of value to the farmer. When I was growing up we used to take ours to a remote location on the farm (over a hill or to a big hole) and shoot them. Sounds cruel, but farm animals are not pets and when they don't give back as much as you put into them - well, you get the idea. It's just the business of farming.

[CacheNCarryMA]

Chupacabra attack?!?