[TusseyMtMan]

With the fresh snow, I decided to take my 3 dogs for a run up on the public land above my house. I run them behind the truck, and I drive along looking for animal tracks crossing the road.
As I came to a normal deer crossing, I could see lots of tracks, and also blood sprayed all over the road. It looked like a deer had been shot, there was ALOT of blood, and I knew the deer was dead close by because of it.

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At first, I figured a local low-life shot it at night, as we were on a public road. But, it did not make sense. The deer came down off a steep bank, out of a big laurel patch. There is no way to shoot up in there from the road. The woods on the other side of the road were a blood-bath. I finally found the deer laying in the stream 10 yds off the road.

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Upon closer inspection, I could see coyote tracks and hunks of fur. I figured it out. But, there is more to it. The young buck had a bullet hole through its front leg. It was starting to heal over. But, there was no doubt this little guy had been shot and wounded in rifle season. The coyotes ran it down last night, ripping its back end out, as they do. I guess they got an artery. I guess a 3 legged deer can't beat a pack of coyotes!

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Time and dates not correct. I ran home and grabbed my wife's old camera.

 

[TusseyMtMan]

I might add, this is a lightly traveled woods road, but it is public. I was thinking about dragging the carcus a few hundred yds up in the woods and sitting over it. Would that be legal?

 

[jimbridger]

I would set up right where it is now. But I think it would be legal to move it and hunt. Start right out with the fawn bleat.

Is this fresh snow today? I am headed that way in the morning. How much snow should I expect. Are the main roads clear? We have zero here now. Luzerne county. Waugh!

 

[TusseyMtMan]

Can't tonight. Babysitting. Yep. Got two inches last evening, then rain on top. Snowing again now.

 

[anobody]

yes you can most certainly hunt on that carcass, by all means if i was around there id go sit it with you tonight, they will be back tonight for certain!

 

[dce]

I would question it being from coyotes,except you saw the tracks.Coyotes almost always rip the guts open and eat the organs first.Usually,it's domestic dogs that go for the hind quarters.Coyotes also almost always eat the nose off.

That seriously looks more like the kill site of domestic dogs but I have no doubt you can identify coyote tracks over dog tracks.

 

[TusseyMtMan]

Coyotes for sure. I think 3. The deer died exactly how it layed in the pic. I was there at 10:30 this morning. The kill happened within the 12 hrs before that, given the track evidence. They ate from the hind-end, up into the guts, then ran off. There is a bunch of blood that came out of the mouth that is visible on the one front leg in the pic.
I think somebody may have driven by and spooked them off. As I said, the kill site is 10 yds from an open road that sees 10-20 cars a day.

 

[Jayden41]

I'd be setting up a few traps around it and knocking that pack down!!A few scent post sets close by and you'll definitely get mom or dad.after them the young ones are easy

 

[SigPro2340]

I would question it being from coyotes,except you saw the tracks.Coyotes almost always rip the guts open and eat the organs first.Usually,it's domestic dogs that go for the hind quarters.Coyotes also almost always eat the nose off.

That seriously looks more like the kill site of domestic dogs but I have no doubt you can identify coyote tracks over dog tracks.

That would have been my first thought too.
You can set up on it for coyotes but if the carcass is froze solid they may or may not feed on it. I have seen pretty many frozen deer carcass with lots of coyote tracks around but they didn't feed on it. The tracks then went off and you can see where they began sweeping edge habitat looking for mice and rabbits I assume. I guess they like a warm meal over a frozen one at times.

 

[jimbridger]

Thanks for the up date my son said the same thing. Waugh!

 

[jimbridger]

I would question it being from coyotes,except you saw the tracks.Coyotes almost always rip the guts open and eat the organs first.Usually,it's domestic dogs that go for the hind quarters.Coyotes also almost always eat the nose off.

That seriously looks more like the kill site of domestic dogs but I have no doubt you can identify coyote tracks over dog tracks.

I was going to ask if he was sure it was yotes but then remembered he was running dogs so he should know the differance. My second thought was that a vehicle ran them off the kill and they would return the next evening or when food is scarce. Still a good place to set up. Waugh!

 

[R. S. B.]

It is probably too late now but if you get a chance look those tracks over real close.

This is not at all typical of a coyote kill and looks much more characteristic of domestic dogs. Coyotes nearly always eat the viscera, ears and nose before they even think about touching the hindquarters.

Dick Bodenhorn

 

[jimbridger]

You can set up on it for coyotes but if the carcass is froze solid they may or may not feed on it. I have seen pretty many frozen deer carcass with lots of coyote tracks around but they didn't feed on it.

I would get it out of the creek and set it on a sunny slope when the deer gets ripe the yotes will be back. And they will return for the ribs and back bone even if frozen. Unless there is unlimited food supply the yotes just seem to always return around here. Waugh!

 

[jimbridger]

Not sure you can trap using bait that can be seen from the air. But the scent post sets might be legal if placed back from the bait. Maybe a WCO could clear up that point for me. Waugh!

 

[BlackBruin]

Bald eagle state forest?

 

[R. S. B.]

Not sure you can trap using bait that can be seen from the air. But the scent post sets might be legal if placed back from the bait. Maybe a WCO could clear up that point for me. Waugh!

It would be legal to hunt coyote over the carcass since coyotes are an exception for hunting over bait.

It would not be legal to set traps around the carcass though unless the traps were far enough away as to be out of sight of the carcass. The intent of the no bait (bird or animal parts) visible from the air while trapping is to avoid catching avian predators. There is no specified set distance and it becomes somewhat subjective but pretty much anything within the distance a bird of prey would land or perch while feeding the carcass would be illegal.

Dick Bodenhorn

 

[TusseyMtMan]

Not a trapper anyhow.
Coyote tracks. With hundreds of hours covering hundreds of miles in the woods every fall and winter, I have seen my share.
It is plain nasty here tonight. Wind and snow. I will go up in the morning and check it. Can I throw it in my truck to move it? the reason I want to, I don't like hunting on the edge of a township road much.

 

[outofstater]

So you can hunt coyote over bait?

 

[R. S. B.]

Not a trapper anyhow.
Coyote tracks. With hundreds of hours covering hundreds of miles in the woods every fall and winter, I have seen my share.
It is plain nasty here tonight. Wind and snow. I will go up in the morning and check it. Can I throw it in my truck to move it? the reason I want to, I don't like hunting on the edge of a township road much.

As for moving it you should check on that with your local WCO.

It isn’t legal for anyone to just pick up a deer unless it is a highway kill they intent to use for food and even then they have to get a permit.

Dick Bodenhorn

 

[R. S. B.]

So you can hunt coyote over bait?

Yes!