Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch

[farmerjan]

I agree that there is alot left for a cat to have gotten it... yet it seems the more likely reason it was not torn apart and eaten more like a coyote or a fox would have done... hate to think that it could have been a dog in the neighborhood.....I am sure hoping that you catch something in the trap... and maybe set it more than once to make sure of any/all predators that you might be dealing with.

 

[Ridgetop]

Odd that the head is missing. Usually, the head and skull are the last to be eaten. Eating in from the anus and stomach area is normal. Unless it was taken by an eagle, accidently dropped, and another animal found the carcass and was taking it somewhere else. The missing head bothers me though, since removing the head like that is not a normal thing for a predator to do. The head might had=ve been separated from the carcass if it was so far rotted that the head fell off, but the carcass does not look like a 10 days dead animal. Very strange. Glad that you have baited a trap with it.

 

[Mini Horses]

Cold weather would help preserve carcass during the time.

 

[Margali]

The lows have been pretty low but had some warm weather.

I'm wondering if it was in a burrow and got drug out? We have a ton of rabbits on property.

 

[Ridgetop]

But the loss of the entire head still puzzles me. Normally the stomach area (soft tissue) is torn open, meat from the rear haunches, and shoulders eaten, followed by other parts of the body depending on what predator(s) are eating it. The head is normally still attached by the spine and skin until most of the muscle and sinew is gone. That carcass looked more like the head was cut off. It was small enough that even a coyote or bobcat could have carried it away.

 

[Mini Horses]

Agree....the head off is puzzling, with so much carcass left in tact. Does look as if decapitated and "fresh". The remaining hair is pretty clean, too. It's all, just very strange. . Weather was kinda warm but...if under trees/brush, cooler. But after 10 days I'd expect more decomp. Maybe not dead at first missing?

Such a shame and now, so many questions. Like returned to your property by...?

 

[Baymule]

Could you put a trail cam up in the barn?

 

[Margali]

So the new cameras I'm putting up will help. Plus we are probably getting one at the gate.

I don't think it was a human since they would have had to open gate and walk 168ft along drive towards house. Without setting off Bruno from inside home or neighbors dogs across the street. Doing so they would have seen into our connex and piles of tools. Nothing is missing...

 

[SageHill]

It sure is strange. It's like the start of a CSI episode. The recentness and cleanness of the miss head and the lack of overall decomp is way weird.

 

[Ridgetop]

Absolutely! Even with the cold weather, you would think it should have showed more decomp.

It is a mystery! But the new cameras will be helpful.