Dead cow, NMSA: how to speed up decomposition?

In reply to golfduke :

In an animal of that size, the smell is not even close to decreasing at 10 days. I'm quite surprised that the vultures haven't been at it. While they may not be able to see it, they have a very good sense of smell.

Temperatures have cooled off in the past week, so we haven't had the windows open that much.  You still get a wiff every once in a while outside.  It rained yesterday, so that quashed the smell a bit.  

Re: Vultures:  it is in the ditch in decent overgrowth and is pretty well covered unless you are right next to it.

We can't talk about religion, politics, and other triggering topics.  But, we can discuss the top ten ways to dispose of a dead body.

I love this place.

Scott_H said:

We can't talk about religion, politics, and other triggering topics.  But, we can discuss the top ten ways to dispose of a dead body.

I love this place.

 

we all agree large decomposing animals smell bad and should be disposed off. I think. 

In reply to jmabarone :

I suspect you're greatly underestimating the vulture's sense of smell. It's staggering how well they can home in on something. Visibility isn't a factor. 

"By smell alone, they can locate a mouse-sized carcass under leaf litter in densely forested areas"

article about vulture's sense of smell.....

I think I read somewhere that vultures can smell a dying animal before it is actually dead. The dying process starts some chemical reaction or such in the animal's body before it actually expires. Or maybe I just thought I read this... 

To the OP: Pics?

To everyone else: Don't judge me. You know you wanna see.

Margie

In reply to Marjorie Suddard :

Agreed. 
 

Thread is useless without pics. 

barefootcyborg5000 said:

In reply to Marjorie Suddard :

Agreed. 
 

Thread is useless without pics. 

I'm good

In reply to Marjorie Suddard :

I'm just glad the boss asked before I did. I wanna know if the legs are sticking straight out or if it's...popped. 

Scott_H said:

We can't talk about religion, politics, and other triggering topics.  But, we can discuss the top ten ways to dispose of a dead body.

I love this place.

 

Last week I was reading this thread on the public library internet and thought to myself yeah it's a cow but this is a good guide to not so innocent things.  Few minutes later I googled "How long to suffocate" because I was worried of making my small camp room too air tight. Then I thought of those two in combination and decided it was a good time to leave the library.

In reply to Stampie :

It's like when you run to the store to buy condoms but feel too self conscious to just buy that and you remember you need some stuff for around the house so you end up setting condoms, rope, duct tape, and some dog shampoo on the checkout counter.

(Simpsons did it)

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

In reply to Stampie :

It's like when you run to the store to buy condoms but feel too self conscious to just buy that and you remember you need some stuff for around the house so you end up setting condoms, rope, duct tape, and some dog shampoo on the checkout counter.

(Simpsons did it)

I'd rather buy a box of condoms than a box of diapers. 

Mndsm said:

Scott_H said:

We can't talk about religion, politics, and other triggering topics.  But, we can discuss the top ten ways to dispose of a dead body.

I love this place.

 

we all agree large decomposing animals smell bad and should be disposed off. I think. 

If I ever got into running for political office, this is the platform I'd run on.

Marjorie Suddard said:

To the OP: Pics?

To everyone else: Don't judge me. You know you wanna see.

Margie

Glad you asked, because I considered but wasn't sure if that was good.  I'll get some this evening.  

Vultures in my area must have Covid because it is definitely pungent.  Went out yesterday to get fuel oil and drove over where the cow was...and didn't see it from my truck!  I was so excited that it was gone.  Got home, starting siphoning the fuel oil, and walked over to check.  Nope, still there.  Went to put a few 9mm holes in it, just in case, but it has clearly burst.  

Pics to follow.  

Make a sign "100% Natural Solar Beef Jerky - Natural Flavor FREE!"?

Bring on the pics!

I have no helpful advice for a decomposing animal body, but my freshman year of college a rat died in the vents. Can confirm 10 days was the point we finally went "no, that's not someone's rotting dishes that's something BAD" and my roommate called maintenance. 

disappointed at lack of pix.  how much of the cow is still there?

Aged beef!

If I can remember, I will get pics of the bones in the next couple of days.  

jharry3 said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

jharry3 said:

You could dump a few bags of quicklime on it.  That will speed up the decomposition. 

If its bloated, and you decide to puncture it, plan on wearing a filtration mask or the odor will probably make you retch or throw up.  And use something like an extendable pruning saw or spear to cut it open so you are far enough away to not  get sprayed with disgusting fluids.

If only there were some sort of device for putting holes in things at a safe distance, like holes roughly .308 to .45 inches or so...  .22" holes might even work okay.

I know secondhand that many scavengers do not care if something has been shot up, they'll chow down on it just the same.  Food's food.

First off shooting small holes in it isn't going to do much. (Maybe shooting a box of 12ga buckshot into the abdomen would do it).  Second it may be illegal to shoot guns where he is. Thirdly if the plan is to leave it in situ then slicing open the abdomen will allow the scavengers to get to the parts they want more quickly.  Once the internals are eaten, or dried out from exposure to air, you basically have a mummy in progress that will desiccate into hair and bones while the animals, birds, and insects have a feast. 

 Armadillos like to eat dead cows.  I once saw a very dead cow in the woods while deer hunting.  When I walked by  3 armadillos crawled out of the cow.  They were inside munching away at the treasures they found inside.

I still think towing it somewhere else is the answer.

I submit that there is no cow and that we, as a whole, have been duped. The OP is in desperate need of attention and can't even drive a manual transmission. Further, he thinks a P71 is a dumb car.

Only pics will prove all of the above points wrong......

OP doesn't have a smart phone and is lazy.  Can barely drive a manual transmission, I will acknowledge that.  

Incorrect on the P71.  That was the pinnacle of American engineering.  

(I also never remember to go take a picture by the time I get home)

Farmers around here usually drag it into the back 40 and let the wildlife deal with it.

Once the coyotes, crows, badgers, etc find the carcass it will be gone pretty quickly.

Better late than never?