Identify the killer?

[Expedition Scout]

The other day I was up NE checking camera sets in the mountains. Near by one set there is a dead moose and I was figuring that there would be a bear at least moving back and forth from feeding on it. To my surprise, I only had coyotes. After pulling the camera and walking back out to the road I found a dead coyote. Now, the coyote was nearly turned inside out and eaten. It was slit from the base of the skull to the pelvis down the back - very neatly I might add. the spine was broke in half under the rib cage, and everything from the neck to the anus was gone. Even the skin was clean like it would be ready to go to the tannery. Eye and tongue also eaten, however the hide legs un-touched. The front legs were tubed out as what ever did this pulled the shoulder blades into the chest cavity and pulled all the meat off. The interesting part was all the bones were still attached with only a little chewing on the rib cage.

I've worked up there for 23 years and have never seen something like this before. There was no obvious bullet hole or other damage to the rest of the animal. I was told by WDFW that this is classic bear predation. I can't believe a bear would be so methodical as to pick apart an animal like that. We also have wolves that moved into the area, and I know they will kill a coyote if the chance presents itself, but the same argument exists for the bear... so neatly done?

Any help?

[lokidog]

Yeah, I get to be the first to say it...  Sasquatch!     Or aliens.   

[Pygmy]

Was the slit down the back clean or was it torn?

[dreamunelk]

You are correct, to clean for bear or wolf.  Sounds like a Cougar.  Not uncommon for them to eat yotes.

[KFhunter]

sounds like the coyote got stretched


by stretched I mean several wolves pulling on the coyote at the same time until the literally almost pull it apart, they'll slip the hide and tube the legs pretty easy playing tug of war with a yote.


if you can, put that trail camera on the moose so we can all see 



edit:  Oh in case you want to argue with me first just think what animal would bother to chase down a coyote when they have a moose laying there?  Wolves!

[Expedition Scout]

The tear was clean for the most part. Straight down the back. I agree with you KFhunter, why would a bear, if it was even able, run down a coyote and eat it when the moose is not very far away. My first thought was wolf, being territorial over the moose. Only issue was no pictures of wolves on the moose. I've put up another camera in the same area as the coyote. Hopefully we will get some answers soon.

I've tried to upload pictures of the yote's on the moose and pictures of the Coyote that was killed. For some reason, it wont let me upload them.

I'll keep trying

[Expedition Scout]

Every time I try to upload the pictures, the screen just goes white, then nothing.

Anyone have any idea's? I've been able to upload pictures before on other forums, just not here.

[carpsniperg2]

They are to big. Open them in another program resize them and they should post. Make them about 25% of the full size.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Sounds like Wolf to me.  Wolves wre very territorial,  especially when it comes to other K-9's.  Wolves could have taken down the Moose or just laid claim to the carcass.  They may not be ready to or even feed on it but they will be damned if they will let something else feed on it.

[Expedition Scout]

OK, lets try this again.

[Expedition Scout]

Here are two of the pictures of the coyotes around the moose carcass. This is about a 1/4 mile from the road where the dead coyote was found. Very well used trail between the two.

Also a better picture of the back of the coyote looking down towards the anus.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I still say wolf killed the yote.  But think birds got the eyes.

[Cougartail]

100% sure it was a cougar. They go for the organs first and can open animals with precision using their incisors. If it was wolves the area would be torn up and the coyote in pieces. Google wolf kills, then click on  "Images" and it will be crystal clear it wasn't wolves.

[Michelle_Nelson]

You know cougartail.  What your saying does make sense.  I've seen half dozen or so hounds killed and eaten by wolves and it seams like they always eat the hide. 

[KFhunter]

Now I know who the WDFW bio is - everything BUT a wolf huh    "100% cougar ayup, I can tell for 100% from a couple internet pictures"



Doesn't make since to me a cat chasing a coyote off a carcass for a good ways, then eating a coyote over moose??? 
Cat wouldn't have taken down the moose unless it was a small sickly one? OP doesn't say what the moose is. 
Most likely scenario for a cat to feed on a moose would be someone either someone shot it or it died on it's own - possible but improbable.

So if your so astute Mr. 100% Cougar, you'd notice there isn't a single stick of brush over that carcass, no scraping nada....very unlike a cat to not hide a kill.


I think it more likely a pack of wolves brought down the moose (they tend to do that) then an uneducated coyote came to pick up some scraps and learned a hard hard lesson.  3-4 wolves or more each grabbed a corner and pulled almost pulling the coyote in two then fed on the exposed innards then went back to the moose.   



Keep that trail cam up,  that'll tell the story