My Three-legged Deer - We call her Gimpy

[throttletony]

Just seeing this post now.
Thats amazing to survive that long in the wild, with 3 legs nonetheless

 

[patience0830]

My uncle watched a three-legged deer swim about 110 yard across his lake to outwit two coyotes one day. They ARE tenacious.

 

[mom45]

I just came home and spotted her crossing the road not far from our driveway!

 

[mom45]

After not seeing Gimpy since Spring, I was sure she had perished or fallen prey to the coyotes. The neighbor stopped by the other day to tell us he had seen her crossing the road into our property a few days earlier! I cannot believe the old girl is still doing well.

 

[Winamac]

Kind of makes one "root" for the old girl out of respect for her ability to have survived this long. Hopefully she will die of old age VS hunters or coyotes.

 

[mom45]

Kind of makes one "root" for the old girl out of respect for her ability to have survived this long. Hopefully she will die of old age VS hunters or coyotes.

That has always been my worry that someone would feel sorry for her and take her out, but she gets around quite well and has obviously thrived in spite of her missing leg. She is amazing...I had no idea a deer would live that long in Indiana in the wild. I suppose living in farm country where there are plenty of fields to forage helps.

 

[Ddillard]

That is amazing. She's an old girl. I am glad she has perservered all these years. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Bigtanker]

This makes me smile Mom! Nature is awesome!

 

[mom45]

She really is a neat old girl. She is very smart and cautious. The other deer just trot right into the yard for their corn and water. She hangs back and watches so I have to put some corn out farther for her when I know she is around and hope the others don't steal it all before she finds it.

 

[Winamac]

She really is a neat old girl. She is very smart and cautious. The other deer just trot right into the yard for their corn and water. She hangs back and watches so I have to put some corn out farther for her when I know she is around and hope the others don't steal it all before she finds it.

That is REALLY cool that you do that for her. Makes one wish they could somehow protect her and give her a life of leisure for the rest of her days.

 

[two70]

Kind of makes one "root" for the old girl out of respect for her ability to have survived this long. Hopefully she will die of old age VS hunters or coyotes.

What exactly is preferable about slowly starving to death vs. being killed by a hunter or even coyotes?

 

[Winamac]

What exactly is preferable about slowly starving to death vs. being killed by a hunter or even coyotes?

I do not believe I ever mentioned "slowly starving to death"? Not sure where you got that from?

 

[two70]

I do not believe I ever mentioned "slowly starving to death"? Not sure where you got that from?

Slowly starving to death is exactly what happens to animals that "die of old age". Their teeth get worn down to the point that they can no longer eat, then the starve to death slowly.

 

[bobjones223]

Slowly starving to death is exactly what happens to animals that "die of old age". Their teeth get worn down to the point that they can no longer eat, then the starve to death slowly.

Mom45 will just have to start boiling her corn for her!!

 

[Winamac]

Slowly starving to death is exactly what happens to animals that "die of old age". Their teeth get worn down to the point that they can no longer eat, then the starve to death slowly.

I was just generalizing...okay...whatever...you win. I am not a deer biologist.

 

[Hkindiana]

Slowly starving to death is exactly what happens to animals that "die of old age". Their teeth get worn down to the point that they can no longer eat, then the starve to death slowly.

My dogs are animals, and many "died of old age" WITHOUT slowly starving to death, and their teeth were fine. Where do you get your information?

 

[ghuns]

Cool deer.

I'd have named her Eileen.

 

[jagee]

Cool deer.

I'd have named her Eileen.

Eileen is the one-legged waitress who works at IHOP.

 

[Winamac]

Mom45 will just have to start boiling her corn for her!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/galleries/photo-gallery-from-buttons-to-booner

Can’t say for sure that this buck starved to death, but age certainly took its toll. I do know that long-lived herbivores’ (elephants and such) clocks start ticking once they lose their last matching molar.