Why you probably don’t want to camp out in our backyard
Several weeks ago, Seth and I celebrated the unseasonably warm weather by playing in the backyard.
At one point, the dog went into “Crazy Abbey” mode — running around the yard in large circles, until she found what is in this photo. Can you guess what it is? Anyone? That’s right, a deer torso.
There are alot of coyotes and assorted wildlife near our ‘hood. I’ve always heard coyotes are lilly-livered scavengers. So when I’d walk with Abbey at night, I didn’t worry. But apparently if they are hungry enough, they get pretty brave. And this makes me a little nervous now. Cause if they saw me? They’d know a pack of 20 could feast on my butt for a full MONTH. And in cold weather? They wouldn’t even need a fridge.
The bright side? (Click on the pic for a more detailed look.) See how cleanly they picked the bones? Methinks the critters that ate this deer also have a mother who told them about all of the poor starving coyotes in India that don’t have any food to eat. And when that didn’t work, she lost her temper and threatened them with extra chores… Or an early bedtime… Looks like the latter tactic works as well with four-legged critters as it does with human ones.
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By SUEB0B, February 12, 2007 @ 12:06 am
Hearing the coyotes always makes me shiver. They sound so eerie, and so close.
I used to have deer that wandered into my yard and ate all my plants. They would nibble off all the tender flower buds and eat my ripe berries. After a while, they quit looking like Bambi and started looking like big rats.
By Oh, The Joys, February 12, 2007 @ 12:31 am
Holy cow…er deer! In your backyard? Wow.
By Lisa Fine Goldstein/Kelly Kelly, February 12, 2007 @ 1:21 am
Aaaaaaaack.you are a brave woman.
I am such a dork about nature. I lived in a carriage house in the woods in Pa. once, and could swear I heard the screams of a woman getting murdered every night. I told the owners of the main house, from whom I was renting my place, and they laughed their a$$es of at me.. ” She thinks the foxes are women screaming! ha ha ha.” I was slightly relieved until it dawned on me that my yard was crawling with angry foxes. eeeeeeeek.
Lisa
By Samantha, February 12, 2007 @ 4:23 am
yah, that would freak me out LOL
By Tasha, February 12, 2007 @ 4:43 am
FREAKY! It’s crazy what dogs will pull up. One time I had a dog that brought back the decomposed body of ANOTHER dog. It was so sad!
By scribbit, February 12, 2007 @ 5:34 am
And I’m thinking, “This is a job for CSI Kansas!”
By wendy boucher, February 12, 2007 @ 10:29 am
I live in dangerous Florida but even I have never found a large carcass in my backyard. Yikes!
By Reba, February 12, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Wow. I can’t believe it is all attached.
Later this year I will be moving to where there are lots of coyotes, but also mountain lions. Freaks me out thinking about it.
By reformattingmybrain, February 12, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Holy Deer! I’d usually say Holy Buckets - but this seemed more fitting. That’s crazy - that’d freak me out a bit.
By Christina_the_wench, February 12, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
Ew, ew, ew.
By Sarah, February 12, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
I grew up near coyotes too. One day when I was about 5 years old, I forgot to close the cages for the two rabbits my mother had bought my sisters and I for Easter. That night, I heard some sounds outside so I crawled out of bed and went over to the window and watched as a group of four coyotes climbed over the backyard fence, popped the cages open, and then dragged our rabbits out screaming. At least, screaming is the best word for it. They were making a horrible high pitched sound. Anyway, the next morning, we spent all morning cleaning up rabbit guts from the yard.
A few weeks later, my sister and I were playing hide and seek and she ran into the barn to hide. Then she came out screaming. Turned out that a momma coyote had made the barn its birth location of choice, so when my 6 year old sister ran in between the momma coyote and her pups, she’d come after my sister growling. We spent the rest of the day cooped up inside watching animal control wrestle with the situation. Apparently, momma coyote was also very ill so they couldn’t use the normal equipment to get her because they didn’t want her near the other animals in the truck.
At the time, it all seemed so “circle of life” to me as a kid. But looking back, I’m absolutely amazed my mom found it in her to let us outside alone.
Anyway, I’m sure you’re fine walking around with Abbey. I’ve seen a few dogs run down coyotes before, even when they aren’t particularly aggressive. Coyotes don’t seem to want to mess with anything that has the confidence of a family dog. Also, family dogs tend to have better endurance because they’re better fed.
By Mrs. Chicky, February 12, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
A deer?! Those must have been some hungry coyotes. Keep your pooch on a leash, okay. I don’t want to hear any stories of an Abbey tartar.
By Linlee, February 12, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
YUCK!
By Becky, February 12, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
whoa! thats gross lol
By mamatulip, February 12, 2007 @ 8:17 pm
WOAH.
That would totally wig me out.
By Slackermommy, February 12, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Very cool! Have you heard them during an attack? It sounds like high pitch screaming. I heard it one night and thought some poor women was being attacked. I called a neighbor who heard it too and said it was coyotes on the kill. Creeped me out for days.
By carrie, February 13, 2007 @ 12:41 am
Totally creepy.
Worse than bears running through your suburban neighborhood!
Carrie
By LiveLee, February 13, 2007 @ 1:01 am
i would probably run screaming and call the police if i found that in my yard!!!
that would totally freak me out!!!!
ick!
By Kevin, February 13, 2007 @ 1:09 am
I would have freaked if my dogs brought that u on the porch.
By Heidi, February 13, 2007 @ 5:09 am
Eeek! That gives me the shivers.
By Pattie, February 13, 2007 @ 5:20 am
Those bones might make a tasty soup. Ewww….did I just write that out loud? Sorry
By quinn, February 13, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
Oh my god, if the dogs ever found something like that in our backyard, it would totally freak me out!
By Jenn, February 13, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
I have deer in my yard all the time, let along black bear. But I might still be a little freaked seeing that back there. LOL
By Rude Cactus, February 14, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
It’s all fun and games until you find a carcass in your yard