Any ideas of what caused this?

[BillChaffey]

While walking in my woods this afternoon with my dogs we came across a Deer hide, lower front & rear legs still attached to the hide. The hide was partially wrapped around a small tree. About 15 feet away was the skeleton. Head, spine back as far as hip sockets, rib cage all intact. Hide still on skull and upper front legs attached to skeleton. Still bits of flesh on the bones. What has the strength to pull the skeleton off the hide?. I don't think Coyote's are that strong. I have twice seen a Cougar while walking my dogs and my neighbor took a picture through his windshield of a Black bear on the gravel road between our places.
I don't hunt. Any thoughts from the woodsmen out there?.

 

[greg334]

Poacher or some BIG cat. I think it is a poacher.

I have had this happen a couple times at my place and found those upright walking scum prints near by.

 

[roadeyes]

Chupacabra!

 

[EnglishLady]

Chupacabra!

LOL - I'm still learning all about the wildlife here in the US .... I had to look that one up on the net

 

[Slo-Ride]

Poachers would be first guess, Since they taking animals illegally they more then likely just took the prime meat and ran with what they could carry out without being seen. Good chance they are in there during the day and coming back at night to collect what they have killed. Watch your wood lots at night to see if they are still active in your area if you don't want em in there. To really figure it out..(animal or ppl) ya need to know how it was cut up or killed?????
If you do suspect that this was truly poachers and you don't want them in there, first look for more signs that they are coming and going then contact your local police or DNR officers and let em know what ya find. Not a good idea to try to stop em by yourself as they properly are armed in 1 way or another.
Its a shame that they kill and leave behind usable meat,
Reason I say look around first for more signs is that could have very well been a legal kill and the deer was simply tracked on to your properly and to far for a single person to carry it out. Still no excuse for not asking permission to recover the whole deer.
Be carefull when dealing with em They aint nice ppl to begin with.

 

[BillChaffey]

It may have been poachers, but I don't think so. I have 93 acres maybe 16-18 in pasture in the front\ South\road side of my property. On my East neighbor are 100 acres of woods & pasture, the North,160 acres, the west 95 immediate acres then another 350 of woods and pastures. The South is the gravel road then another 165 acres of woods & pasture. Some one would have to walk at least 20 minutes though other persons property to get to the back woods boundaries then farther into the woods , where I found the deer.
Plus since my inappropriate language to Dispatch I have been home, and walk my property on a daily basis.
I certainly appreciate all opinions.

 

[EnglishLady]

Is there someplace that does like animal autopsies that could determine how the animal died?

 

[BillChaffey]

There's nothing left but the hide & skeleton. I went out again this morning. The skull which still has the hide attached has a cut crosswise across the skull near the back about 5-7 inches long. I turned the hide over & laid it out and it his a cut, which I think would run parallel to the spine back near the haunches. It's about 9 inches long. No other marks or holes on the hide that I could find. It's a fairly recent kill. The under side of the hide is just starting to change color and hardly any odor yet.

 

[jjoerger]

Hungry aliens

 

[mrgoodtude]

I can't imagine but haven't seen any posts from "Ice Road Trucker" in a few....

 

[Slo-Ride]

It may have been poachers, but I don't think so. I have 93 acres maybe 16-18 in pasture in the front\ South\road side of my property. On my East neighbor are 100 acres of woods & pasture, the North,160 acres, the west 95 immediate acres then another 350 of woods and pastures. The South is the gravel road then another 165 acres of woods & pasture. Some one would have to walk at least 20 minutes though other persons property to get to the back woods boundaries then farther into the woods , where I found the deer.
Plus since my inappropriate language to Dispatch I have been home, and walk my property on a daily basis.
I certainly appreciate all opinions.

They have you on time out do they..LOL..Im sure we all been there..Dont ya just love the mentality of the front office..I understand they get mad just like drivers do but to continue it into the next working day is stuipt..I think they should have time out also for causing lost revenue from your truck. Enjoy your time off

Anyways....Sounds like ya got a nice spread of land there. Keep close eye for chubacabra or aliens ya just never know..