Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Rest of the Story - Graphic!


Here was the poor doe two days ago.  I estimate her to be about 200 pounds, and 
am guessing she was one of last year's babies. 

No blood around her... I suspect she was dumped, because there was 
nothing to show in the road that she had been hit there. 

When I got out there the next morning... she was not on the side of the road, but 
about 12 feet away in the deep ditch.  I assumed a county truck had 
pushed her off. 

Now, I don't think so. 



There was a trail of hair down the bank. 

This morning, I stopped to see what was left... and... 


This is what I saw.  An empty spot, with hair and blood. 



The trail went up the opposite bank and into the soon to be 
planted field. 


And clear across the field to the treeline in the distance! 

I was dying to go look, but I had the dogs with me.  I also don't know 
who owns the field, and didn't want to be trespassing. 

So, I got up to the nursing home this afternoon and told my 
brother, who taught high school biology before he became a 
fireman... because things like this used to interest him.  
He could not understand much of what I said, but his 
table-mate at lunch, Jerry, who is his friend... was a hunter 
in his prime, and he said one word. 

"Coyotes".  

I said "coyotes could pull her clear across that field?" 

He said "they work together and pull the legs as a group".  

Wow!  I'm in awe of them, I admit it.  To work as a group like that... well... 
I hope they enjoyed their meal.  I suspect it's back there beyond the tree line. 


Jes found something good to roll in this afternoon, but did not smell all the way home.  Sometimes I can hardly be in the same car with him! 


Lilly smelled it, too, but did not roll. 


She DID halfway think about defending it, though! 


The woodpecker is enjoying the suet... and I have 
plans to set up a suet station over here at the new house.  

No hawk pictures lately, except for the banded hawk on the pole last Friday... I either see them high in the sky, or far, far away. 

I'm sorry if anyone was offended by the poor deer... but that's life in the country. 



7 comments:

  1. teddy is a roller too! the stinkier the thing is to roll in the better!

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  2. As I've said elsewhere, I find your posts mini natural science seminars. Born & raised in the area, but never seen it the way you show it. Just hope I don't have to see the coyote handiwork too closely too soon. Dealing with that will be a steep learning curve for me, I'm guessing.

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  3. It is definitely a way of life in the country. There is a circle of life for all. I remember when my dogs rolling in the yard and stinking then needing a bath. Glad you got home with out the stink anyway. The birds here have been busy at my suet feeder too. They are such a sight to see.

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  4. not offended, part of country living

    with more and more cars and houses, this kind of stuff happens frequently

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  5. Simply the cycle of life and the food chain. Amazing how inventive coyotes are but no surprise, look at Wiley Coyote.

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