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...
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...