Identifying a predator by examining a kill

[Yamforlife]

Coyote.

 

[Toyboy]

Dog or dogs.

 

[MossRoad]

Good question. I forgot to mention that there were people and dogs out on the ice, so unfortunately there were tons of dog tracks all around. It was impossible to tell if they were from the people and the dogs running around or from earlier. The deer tracks were easier to identify and while there were definitely running dog tracks it wasn't possible to tell if they were new ones or from the kill...

I wouldn't suspect the people. They usually use weapons. It was probably coyotes.

 

[MossRoad]

Well, thinking about it, if it was killed, but not eaten, dogs are more likely than coyotes. Although the coyotes could have been scared off by people and dogs. The neck is interesting. I've read that cats will just clamp down on the spine and crush small animals, or, clamp down on the throat and choke the animal out. Still think, though, that if a wild animal would have killed it, more of it would have been consumed unless scared off. Anyhow, interesting. Put up a game camera at the kill and watch what else feeds off the carcass. Nothing will go to waste, that's for sure.

 

[tractchores]

I wouldn't suspect the people. They usually use weapons. It was probably coyotes.[/QUOT

Ha Ha good one! Yes I think we can safely rule out the people.... Usually they also take what they kill. Heck it was intact enough that I had thoughts of maybe taking it myself, but then decided against it because it's relatively small as it is and I was sure once I skinned it that most of the good meat would have been damaged.... I still may skin it when it warms up this weekend to check out the damage and maybe I can make myself some gloves or a hat or something. Right now it's frozen completely solid, so I don't think anything could eat it anyway.

 

[MossRoad]

Although I do have some neighbors that might have done that, although they don't have the teeth to kill it.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
It will be interesting to see what's under the fur.

 

[tractchores]

Some interesting info on this website about identification: Evaluation of Suspected Predator Kills « Texas Natural Resources Server I didn't think coyotes bit the neck, but this indicates they often do.

Pretty interesting, kind of feel like I'm playing CSI over here. I'll be dusting for hoof prints next.

I did see some strangely positioned pallets on the lake the evening before, anything that has to do anything with this?

 

[MossRoad]

Pallets? Turn and run. Hunker in the bunker! That one dude that investigated is still missing.

 

[deerseeker001]

sounds like Cougar to me they bite back of the neck braking spinal cord.

 

[tcreeley]

couple of dogs- the neck injury came while one was at the rear, and the other was looking for a bite grip as it came down.