Expensive Rookie Mistake

[HUAINAMACHERO]

As some of you know I am in México finishing my Plastic Surgery residency. This story took place 2 weeks ago in Ecuador, my brother in law Cristobal and my nephew Ignacio (Cristobal nephew also) went whitetail hunting near the farm we have in the Andes mountains. They organized an overnight hunting trip and went for it. When they where at around 12000 feet, at 15h00 they saw a little whitetail buck, neither of them had hunted one before, so my brother in law went ahead and shot it, making a clean kill. As rookies as they are, they thought it was to early to finish their hunt, so they hid the deer and hunted for a couple of miles up the hill, the night came up to them, they made camp, and went back in the morning and found that their deer had been moved like 60 yards from where they left it, and it was all eaten up!!! The pictures speak for themselves. They did finished gutting it, and took it down. My brother in law wants to have it mounted because it was his first buck.
The only two predators that could have done this are cougars, or lobo de páramo (Pseudalopex culpaeus). They werent able to see neither of them.

I guess for them it should be lesson learned: they need to respect their game, and take care of it properly, if the decision was to shoot it, then the hunt should have ended right there!!! I have been bitching at them from the distance(México) after I heard the story. I have talked to them over the phone and both of them regret of having made that decision. I asked for them to send me the pictures so I can share them with all of you.

 

[Buffalobob]

That is an interesting story. The first year I hunted in Idaho, I was asking about when the bears would hibernate in the butcher shop I used told and the butcher told me of a guy and his daughter who shot a mule deer late one evening in the snow and decided to wait until the next day to climb up the mountain to where it lay dead. So the next day they climb the mountain and a black bear had been there in the night and eaten most of it.

Hunting in areas where there are natural predators means you compete with them. I have personally left lots of deer or major portions over night with only minor problems.

I live in Washington DC which is the center of paranoia and fear. All gutless cowards who get through life by running their mouth live here. Everyone here believes that they are too important to die and that the world would not continue to rotate without them alive. The Swine Flu has them all holed up inside their homes. You would believe that Osama bin Laden was stalking the streets with an AK47 or something. I only mention it because you say you are in Mexico and it is generally believed that everyone in Mexico has died of the flu.

 

[bwaites]

Interesting pictures.

Usually coyotes, lobos, and cougars will eat the heart, liver, lungs, etc. as soon as they can, taking the high value internal organs before moving on to the muscle. It looks like those parts were left, instead.

Does anyone else see this the same way?

 

[kcebcj]

I have come to the conclusion that Mountain Lion will not feed on a deer or elk that is already dead but they are opportunists and will take a cripple down. Watched one do that a few years back to a crippled buck I was after. Coyote and bear will feed on everything. Don't know about wolfs yet but the way there moving into this country probably won't be long before I know.

I have left lots of game out overnight and have found that birds such as the Clarks Nutcracker do more damage to the meat than the varmints.

 

[grit]

I would guess it was a lone animal as much of the little critter was still there. I don't know what kind of wolves live there. But, assume they are pack animals. I'm also willing to bet your nephews had an unhappy audience when they were recovering thier evening meal. I wouldn't be too hard on 'em. You can bet they'll remember the experience. Congrats on thier success.

A friend of mine left an elk over night a while back. A couple eagles managed to consume a surprising portion of the hindquarters.

I enjoyed the story and photos! Truly magnificent scenery.

 

[Seven Oaks]

Believe Grit has it right. Doesn't look like a pack job. Glad they had some left.

Dee

 

[CAM]

Expensive Rookie Mistake
AND
I am in México finishing my Plastic Surgery residency.

I was expecting some good pics!!! LOL

A little disappointed
Cam

 

[grit]

CAM,
That's funny!

I must be slipping to have not seen it before.

 

[HUAINAMACHERO]

CAM and Grit:
That is funny, I didnt saw it that way.
You want to see boobs pictures??? I have lots of them!!!
Dont think this is the place to post them though!!!