Anybody here sick or old?
Elk
Took these pictures the other day. .95 of a mile, that is why they are blurry. Look at the elk at the bottom, I think his right antler is growing out of a damaged pedicle, the curve is goofy. Kind of gutsy coyotes, I have seen it many times but not that close (2nd pic). Elk did not get up. Bighorn Mtns..........Mike
Interesting pictures. That coyote in the second picture looks like he’s right in the middle of that group of bulls.
I’m no elk expert or coyote expert but those elk don’t look worried. I would think the coyote should be worried if anything.
There’s a credible report of a coyote keeping company with a bull as the bull pawed through some crusty snow; the coyote was in close enough to the bull to pounce on the mice that got uncovered, and the bull paid him no mind….
But yeah, a healthy bull has precious little reason to fear a coyote. OTOH, we tend to assume that big bucks/bulls are always healthy, which is not necessarily the case… There are dogs being used to detect lung cancer in humans by smelling the patient’s breath. Kind of a useful trick for a cursorial predator to be able to literally sniff out a lung problem….
Some info about coyote behavior: Coyotes and elk may be seen together in the winter because coyotes hunt elk when snow is deep. Coyotes are opportunistic hunters that will take advantage of whatever food is available. In the winter, coyotes hunt for food to keep warm and survive. When snow is deep, coyotes may hunt elk because it's easier to travel along their trails. Now if that was a pair of wolves!
Not the former but definitely the latter. ;-)
Naturalists used to always tell us that wolves and coyotes, etc. would only cull the old, sick and weak. Yeah, how does one become sick and weak? Repeatedly harassed, attacked and chewed on by predators. That's how.
Any predator is an opportunist. Just like me and mine we will do what is necessary to survive.
No, all of us old geezers are over on the LW!
There’s a credible report of a coyote keeping company with a bull as the bull pawed through some crusty snow; the coyote was in close enough to the bull to pounce on the mice that got uncovered, and the bull paid him no mind….
But yeah, a healthy bull has precious little reason to fear a coyote. OTOH, we tend to assume that big bucks/bulls are always healthy, which is not necessarily the case… There are dogs being used to detect lung cancer in humans by smelling the patient’s breath. Kind of a useful trick for a cursorial predator to be able to literally sniff out a lung problem….
critters kill and eat what they can. It's opportunistic. If they have a shot to kill a deer, elk or whatever they are taking it. The sick/old thing is sort of a accident of opportunity as those critters may be less alert or capable, thus an easier opportunity to capitalize on. But if a predator has a better bead on a healthy prey item - it's taking that just as happily.
Amazing pics!
The yotes probably drove up in a truck with 'ACME' on the side!
when food is scarce, yotes eat elk turds. he may be waiting for a fresh warm easy meal.
