Something just killed one of my deer...does this look like a bobcat to you?

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Yesterday I was in the woods near dark and smelled the odor of death, looked briefly but did not find the source. This morning there were three vultures perched in pine trees over my pond, have never seen a any there before. This afternoon went into the woods with my dog, the death odor was more faint now, but followed it. Soon it changed to the odor of livestock manure.

Found that source, which was the partially digested contents of a deer stomach. There was a large amount, that covered an area of about two feet by two feet. It was was green and still very moist. Then saw my dog chewing a bone a few yards away, it was a deer front leg, and did not appear to be from a fawn. Watched her some more and she then went to the backbone, rib cage, and skull. All meat was gone, but still some red tint on the bones. This appeared to be the size of a second year deer. The skull was 11 inches in length.

I don't think the deer died from disease since the stomach was full, and I have no pictures of poor looking deer. I do have the following picture, which I think might be a bobcat. What do you think? Also, the picture after that shows a deer in the same spot for scale. Would appreciate your bobcat opinions, hope the pic is good enough. It was taken about 50 yards from where dead deer was found...

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stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Looks nothing like a coyote or coyote tail to me, but I'm asking your opinions. Here a close up of the mystery critter, and pics of coyotes at the same spot. Doesn't seem to me to be the same, but I value your opinions.

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Downeast

Twelve Pointer
Bobcats are pretty well on the small side and rarely ever take anything as large as a deer unless there is something wrong with it. Then it becomes a mercy killing. I would say canine.

Tip of the Day: If you put out a trail cam it is really a good idea to put out a reference point. If you have nothing else, leave one of your beer cans. :cool:. I usually scrape the bark off a nearby tree at knee height with my knife. I can always measure my knee height back at the house if I need too. Dollar General has 12" plastic rulers (with holes in them!) really cheap. Just hang one up and you have a good idea of how big anything is that happens to wander into your camera's view. Depending on the location, it can be used in a jiffy to get a good idea of antler spread. By the way, someone else told me about the ruler thing. I wish I would have thought of it first! Doggone it!
 
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JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
I'm just a guy on the internet, whose seen most of his coyotes in the suburbs and never seen one deer hunting.

I still think the stance and bone structure looks canine to me.
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Looks like a yote to me too. Never seen a bobcat go after a deer.
Me neither personally, but the PA whitetail studies say bobcats are a definite fawn predation problem. Lots of Google info available on that. But my dead deer was not a fawn.
 

stiab

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Ok, the group has spoken, and it's a coyote with a crew cut, or something similar. Based on the circumstances, I believe a deer (not a fawn) was killed and eaten by one or more coyotes in my woods. I have read several times in coyote threads on this forum that 'experts' stated this would an unlikely event in NC.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
More likely the deer got hit by a car, then 'et by vultures, coyotes and other critters,,,

That's my unsolicited 03 cents
 
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Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
Ok, the group has spoken, and it's a coyote with a crew cut, or something similar. Based on the circumstances, I believe a deer (not a fawn) was killed and eaten by one or more coyotes in my woods. I have read several times in coyote threads on this forum that 'experts' stated this would an unlikely event in NC.

It's not that it's unlikely, it's that it's not considered a common occurrence. Coyotes can and will take down a full grown deer, but they don't do it on s regular basis. There's easier meals all around them.
 
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