Found this 22" Bass laying on my Dam. And this 9 Pointer Almost completely submerged.

Could the buck have broken through the ice? just thinking out loud. dont know about the bass, almost doesn't look like otter, or I say that, most Ive seen around the pond was just the head of fish.

Is the bass food for an otter?

Been an Extremely mild winter and really haven't had an Ice over event. I suspect he got hit by a car and made it the 50 yards or so down to the water. But no telling for sure. I feel like he hadn't been there super long time. My first thought on the Bass was "Damn Blue Heron". Never seen an otter up to this point. Vulture's were feeding on him when I walked up on it. Again no telling for sure.

When deer have CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) they will go to water and are found in and around the water edge. Is CWD around your area? Not sure how the lmb got there, maybe he was caught by an otter or Bald Eagle and left as you or someone else approached the pond?

CWD has apparently not yet been detected in Indiana deer

https://www.whas11.com/article/news...417-851896d5-4e9e-42da-b3bb-e82f91322b08

Haven't heard of any CWD in the area. We have had a substantial amount of EHD in a neighboring county this past year. We have had a few Bald Eagles over the past few years and an Osprey hang around for awhile. Two of my "Goals" A double digit Bass from my pond and a Boone and Crocket Deer. Makes seeing anything removed from the pool too early hurt a little more. Guy's gotta dream right?????

Have not broken 170in myself, but have a pic with double main-beams! Maybe when he grows up!

That’s an interesting looking buck for sure RAH wonder if he will carryover same next antlers

My opinion when CWD is present you will see groups of dead deer not just one on its own. At least that's what I've seen in Ohio.

He was following a nice 10 and I have several others that should be very nice next year if they make it. Glad that the diseases have not yet made it to my area. Hoping they increase doe quotas in my county to keep the herd healthy. I took my limit this year and the yotes should help this spring (neighbor saw a doe with 2 tiny fawns already).

We have a hard time convincing neighbors to let them go till minimum 4-1/2 yo

Same here, and sometimes its hard to tell age. My highest scoring antlers came off a fairly young deer that I snuck up on bedded. 12-pt mainframe with 3 scorable stickers. Poor visibility of the body but I put a good shot on him. Later found the trail cam shots.



This one looks young as well, but never actually saw him.

It has been hard to get my son to not shot the younger bucks. He is getting better at it though. And my offset neighbors put little pressure on the deer herd but I still see 3 1/2 yr old bucks and younger for the most part. We see a few older bucks each season but not all that many. I think that is because they become more nocturnal as they get older. We will get some pic's and see where they will hang around for a couple of weeks and then there gone. It does seem like there will be another show up to replace that buck that left the farm.