The Hunters
The same coyotes that made their way through the back lawn and the woods earlier in the week (see Afternoon Hunters) returned this morning, again stalking deer in the same area.
The Stalking
Note: The numbers referenced below refer to photos at Coyotes Tracking Deer
Unlike the deer I saw being followed two days ago, these were not fleeing in haste but simply walking. It was clear, however, that they were especially alert, constantly surveying the situation. Three deer kept close to one another on the left of the view as I faced the woods (Photos #1-6).
A fourth deer was separated from the others by 20-30 yards and can (barely) be seen in the woods and brush to the right (Photos #7-8). The three deer on the right appeared to repeatedly look directly at the fourth deer.
After remaining immobile for perhaps 10 minutes, the three deer to the left began grazing, moving steadily to the right and toward the center of the woods (Photos #9-11). The fourth deer, alone on the right, remained stationery and alert (Photo #12).
Five to 10 minutes later, all four deer walked away, again at a leisurely pace, disappearing into the right side of the woods.
Within a minute of their departure, the two coyotes appeared, trotted at at moderate pace through the snow from right to left until they had traveled 10 yards past the nearest site the three deer had roamed (Photos #13-15).
They then turned into the woods, headed back to the right (Photo #16). Both coyotes are caught in a single (blurry) shot (Photo #17), headed toward the right.
The coyotes finally departed this area, traveling the same route taken by the deer (Photos #18-20).
The Photos
Large format photos of the action can be viewed at Coyotes Tracking Deer – Part 2
You are turning into quite the Marlin Perkins. Maybe Mutual of Omaha could help sponsor this site.
LoL
I like to imagine what it must be like to look up and see such things out your window. The pictures and the account are fascinating.