Saw 2 yotes kill a fawn..

[wooly]

Holy crap, did I ever have the experience of a lifetime today!

 

I was hiking around the goldenrod after pulling my cameras this evening. I had just entered the woodline when all of a sudden this big doe comes racing in towards me and stops about 5ft (yes FEET) away!
She never noticed me because she was focused on something going on behind her where she just came from.

 

She couldn't have been there more than 5 seconds when I heard a fawn cry. She took off like a rocket towards the sound.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of what at first appeared to be 3 fawns chasing each other with momma closing the distance on them FAST!

They all shot back out into the goldenrod I'd just come out of when I noticed they stopped a ways out under an apple tree. I could see mom standing there, but the grass was too tall to see much else. I put it in high gear and tried to get as close as I could for a possible photo opportunity of the fawns. As I was sneaking up on them, the big doe began stomping and blowing at her fawns under the tree. The fawn suddenly sounded like it was being slaughtered, screaming at the top of it's lungs. Momma doe lunged forward snorting repeatedly and then bounced back and stood her ground. About the 3'rd time she did this, I saw a coyote head shoot up out of the tall grass and strike at the old girl! I was now about 20yds away.

 

Now I knew what was REALLY going on only yards away from me and I couldn't wait to get in on the action!

I tried to sneak in just a little bit closer to see over the top of the grass, but I was crunching with every step. The doe turned around and spotted me before turning tail and bolting off like lightning.
As my attention was stolen by her I snapped a few shots as she bounded away, then I heard one last bawl from under the tree. I saw what looked like one of the yotes tails do a barrel role before everything went silent.

I knew they were in there, and I wanted nothing more than a picture or two of this crazy encounter, but I still couldn't see them so I inched my way closer hoping they were still where I expected them to be, perhaps guarding their kill. By the time I snuck in to the exact spot they were at, they had disappeared without a trace.

 

I stood there surveying the field for a few minutes, when I finally spotted movement again in the grass heading up to the timber above me. The two yotes had a successful hunt, and were dragging the fawn off for dinner about 100yds away up into the woods.

That was by far, the coolest, most WILD thing I have ever witnessed in the outdoors.... even though I didn't have the best seat in the house for the show and didn't get any pics of the action. I had goose bumps most of the way home it was so exhilarating and exciting!

 

This is her at the kill site before the fawns final breath. It's one of 3 shots I got that doesn't do much to tell any of the story but the picture is still painted vividly in my mind. This was as wild as it gets for me!

The fawn would have died whether I was there or not, so I felt no need to intervene. I don't hate coyotes because of this encounter neither. I'm just THRILLED to have had the experience not everyone will ever witness!

 

Sorry I couldn't get any better pics, but I had to share this story anyhow!

 

[nyslowhand]

Think I recall reading somewhere that whitetail does are the only mothers in the wild kingdom that will/do NOT protect their young from encounters like you witnessed.

 

Unfortunate, but part of the "Cycle of LIfe" for deer!

 

Very unique encounter for you!!!! You've experienced so many amazing encounters & superb photos, they'd fill a book. LOL

Edited June 21, 2014 by nyslowhand

[NFA-ADK]

Only you! lol

[First-light]

Wow that is cool.

[Doc]

Something has to die for others to live. We hunters understand that. It still isn't a pleasant thing to contemplate. It seems unfortunate that Mother Nature seldom is concerned with the humanity of the process.

[wooly]

You guys ever watch those shows on Nat Geo about the African "big cats"?

I'll bet  most of us (myself included) find ourselves rooting for the lions, and leopards, and cheetahs to cleanly bring down their gazelle or impala most of the time.

With such low percentage odds of catching dinner these animals face in the wild, it's seems half normal to want to see them come out victorious from time to time to ensure their survival.

 

The local yote on the other hand doesn't get the home town support that we give his foreign predator friends. I'm guessing most of us would be rooting for the fawn in this case.

I try to remain neutral when I see stuff like that no matter what critters are involved. I'm sure it happens more often than we think, but seldom do we ever get to see it, so naturally we side with the "under dog" in our minds, even if it is the deer.

 

 

[ny hunter]

Circle of life....

[Mrcharlesclark]

What is a yote?

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[Mrcharlesclark]

I've seen coyotes,but never a yote?

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[gfdeputy2]

same thing Yote is short for Coyote

sound like it was a cool experiance Wooly

[HOUNDS77]

WELL..they gotta eat too.

[moog5050]

Very cool experience.

[Five Seasons]

great story. the circle of life.