Coyote Kill

Near the end of each winter, when deep snow has persisted for much of the season, and temperatures have been below average, our older deer begin to fail, reduced to eating the less nutritious evergreens as winter's supply of sapling buds and forest mast dwindle. This is the time for coyote predation of our large mammals, when they founder after a chase of but a short half mile or so by a swift pack of carnivores yipping at their heels in the dark. At last, the deer stands, panting, inside the circling pack. First one, then many, grab and hold any part of the deer, a standstill until it drops to its knees, and then onto one side.

Within minutes, the pack has ripped open the soft belly and begun to snarl at each other over the warm, soft bits that tumble out onto the snow. Others begin to rip at the flanks, or pull skin away from the still-twitching beast, its breathing not yet stopped.

Within a few hours and well before morning light, the pack has had its fill, even having sampled the marrow of a few short ribs. As they pause, the alpha male starts his howl, and the others join in, yipping their gratitude to their leader and singing his praise to the fleeting night.