I once found the remains of a dessecated quail in my vest about 3 months after hunting season ended
Thought a mouse had died in the closet.
funny, once, long ago, I got home from a hunt with a friend, took the 3 woodcock I had shot out of my vest and hung it in the pantry. mid week a smell began to show up. as with you I thought it was a dead mouse, being an old farmhouse. The next Friday i took the vest down to get ready for the next morning's hunt and found a woodcock in it. turns out, since my friend had only shot one so he had slipped it into my vest as a surprise. it certainly was.
on the other hand, I have not forgotten there is a Lefever in my closet
