Carcass Forensics

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Ken Lynch
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Carcass Forensics

Post by Ken Lynch » Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:28 pm

OK, this is a diagnostic question. I have found a mature wild turkey carcass in the woods. Clumps of wing feathers and body feathers scattered about, wing bones attached to breast bone with wish bone. Did not have a camera with me. The question is who killed the turkey? What are the characteristics of a kill by a fox? What are the characteristics of a kill by a bobcat? What would be the characteristics of a kill by a coyote? I have all three predators in the area and would like to know whom to blame

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ezzy333
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by ezzy333 » Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:21 pm

Probably a Great Horned Owl.

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Tyler S
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by Tyler S » Thu Mar 28, 2013 6:43 pm

Sounds like an avian predator. Most of the time a cat or dog will leave nothing but a pile of feathers. I've found turkeys and geese that were laying on their backs with nothing but the breast meat ate out, go back the next day and something else has cleaned the rest up.

Ken Lynch
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by Ken Lynch » Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:02 pm

I do not dispute the possibility of an avian predator. However, I have not run across of any cases where the avian predator takes on a pray larger in size.

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ezzy333
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by ezzy333 » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:30 pm

I watched a Falcon kill a Canada goose.

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birdshot
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by birdshot » Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:56 pm

Early this last season I was hunting a shelter belt and we flushed a horned owl, off the ground. I recast my dog which went to where the owl had been flushed. He picked up a hen pheasant that while dead was only slightly damaged. I felt like royalty as I experienced the sport of kings, well kinda.

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tommyboy72
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Re: Carcass Forensics

Post by tommyboy72 » Fri Mar 29, 2013 1:11 am

Ken Lynch wrote:OK, this is a diagnostic question. I have found a mature wild turkey carcass in the woods. Clumps of wing feathers and body feathers scattered about, wing bones attached to breast bone with wish bone.
Sounds avian. Bobcat, Coyote and Fox would have torn the wings loose or otherwise damaged the carcass. Avian predators pick the meat off the bones rather than ripping the apendages from the body as would a mammal.

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