Strange Behavior in the Bush: Seeking Insight on a Peculiar Deer Encounter

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all doing well. I've got a question about something I saw in the bush last week.

I was out bush stalking when I stumbled upon a deer doing some strange stuff. It was rolling around on its back, kicking its back legs against a tree, and its neck and head were twisted back in an odd way. At first, I thought maybe it was just trying to get up, but the neck thing threw me off.

I've asked around, but no one seems to have any answers.

Has anyone else seen something like this or have any idea what might have been going on?

Thanks, and looking forward to your thoughts.

Did you shoot it?

A few years ago a mate of mine shot one after Watching do some very similar things, we had a close look at it and it had a lot of hair missing like it had been scratching/rubbing it off, especially on its legs. He never looked closely at the organs but decided no to eat the meat. Did a little bit of research and I think we decided it was probably jones disease from memory. This was the tauranga side of the kaimais

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Did you shoot it?

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Yeah

Were there any ticks on it?

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Originally Posted by hebe

Were there any ticks on it?

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Nah I didn't see any ticks

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Originally Posted by TakaRat

Yeah

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Did it seem in good health otherwise?

@TakaRat
Did you take any photos you could post here ?
Any chance it might have eaten 1080 ?

Did it look like this ?
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....s-mfdc0101.jpg

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Originally Posted by Shearer

Did it seem in good health otherwise?

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Yeah, the Deer looked healthy. I didn't look at its organs though

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Originally Posted by 30.06king

@TakaRat
Did you take any photos you could post here ?
Any chance it might have eaten 1080 ?

Did it look like this ?
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....s-mfdc0101.jpg

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I was thinking that it could have been 1080 too at the time. However, I had a look online and the area that I was in had no mention of 1080 on the DOC website

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Originally Posted by TakaRat

I was thinking that it could have been 1080 too at the time. However, I had a look online and the area that I was in had no mention of 1080 on the DOC website

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@TakaRat
Any photos ?

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Originally Posted by 30.06king

@TakaRat
Any photos ?

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Unfortunately I don't have any photos I could share on here

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Originally Posted by TakaRat

Unfortunately I don't have any photos I could share on here

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@TakaRat
OK. Did it look like the stag in the pic I put the link to above ?

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Originally Posted by TakaRat

Yeah, the Deer looked healthy. I didn't look at its organs though

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The first thing I do is check the organs, it can tell you if the deer is healthy or not.

If offals have spots I would throw it.

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Originally Posted by 30.06king

@TakaRat
OK. Did it look like the stag in the pic I put the link to above ?

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Somewhat, I can't tell if the stag has a bulge on its neck though.

The deer didn't have a bulge and looked as if it was kinda using a wallow. However there was no wallow so it was lying on its back/side kinda rubbing and kicking the tree like it was trying to get up.

I'm fairly certain that if it was indeed rubbing into the ground for whatever reason it would have sensed me and tried to escape as I made a fair amount of noise when I came around the corner.

Have seen the same when wild deer have been enclosed after capture, run the fence line and catch their head in the mesh, used to be called "rick" neck. Maybe this animal caught itself on a vine etc while at full pace.

I spoke to a chopper pilot a couple of years back who said he'd occasionally seen deer running with their necks bent back, and no, they weren't looking over their shoulders at the chopper. Said he had seen it a few times over the years.

Most likely answer is it had a roll or a bit of a scratch and got itself cast and was attempting to get back on its feet. See similar behaviour in sheep and cattle.

Could it have been cast and your presence was giving it the impetus to have a better go at getting up?

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Originally Posted by Waitati Hunter

Could it have been cast and your presence was giving it the impetus to have a better go at getting up?

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Good question, Im not quite sure tbh. I was fairly quiet stalking through the bush and I heard it walking first, then heard a short pause then walking again. Then all a sudden it changed to a banging sound (leg hitting the tree).

Maybe there was a possibility it smelt me but I don't recall the wind being against my favour.

Maybe it heard or smelt you and accidentally ran into a tree and put its neck out or momentarily knocked itself out.

Mange mite maybe?

I wouldn't worry about it

Very unusual I have seen a hind do this out in the tussock rolling on its back like a dog in something smelly it even turned and looked around guiltily I laughed and let it go.

Update for those who are interested:

The other hunter who I was with recently caught up with one of his more experienced hunting mates. His mate said this was the first time he had heard about something like this happening and has no clue what could have caused it.

we used to pick up a few live deer from a possum trapper / meat hunter who worked in the Upper Waioeka when I doing some part time work on the meat choppers - his method of capture was a little brutal they would string a flounder net across a stream at a narrow point and then run a team of dogs and rry to chase the deer into it - some had their kneck bent back at an odd angle - I heard the term they used was ry kneck they generally did not recover and had to be euthanatized or simply died

but this from a vet journal so possibly something similar

ryegrass staggers
This condition is a disease of deer, sheep, cattle, alpaca and horse caused by the consumption of perennial ryegrass infected with certain fungi. The fungal spores are toxic and cause nerve and brain damage, which manifests itself as tremors and staggering.

How does the problem spread?
What are the symptoms?and thrash or have convulsions. They may stand with a very stiff legged stance and shake or nod.
It can be difficult to notice initial signs of ryegrass staggers if the animals are at rest or quietly grazing. There may be a slight head tremor or trembling of the muscles of the neck, shoulder or back. If the deer are moved or yarded, the tremors and shaking become more exaggerated. Severally affected animals can fall over

They roll in wallows and on dry ground just like lots of other mammals do. Itchy skin, parasites, hair shedding, all the usual stuff.

I posted a picture on here awhile back of one I shot that was rolling in a small wallow right in front of me. It’s a funny sight because they’re very ungainly when on their backs and I think if they get it a bit wrong they can struggle to get up in a hurry.