Question about what I came across in woods....

bkniowa · 04-04-2009, 10:22 PM

Hello, Im from North Iowa and was out shed hunting yesterday afternoon and came across something I consider extremely odd. As I was walking I caught a glimpse of a deer skull with a rack on it. The skull was laying inside a large "thicket" so I crawled inside it to retrieve it. Once I got to it I was suprised to find an opening that was about 10ft x 10ft. that had bones strewed all about this opening. I knew there was too many bones to be from just one deer and as I looked around more I found 2 more skulls, both female. All the bones were sun bleached and appeared had been there for a few years. I didnt see any hair or any other sign. At first I thought maybe deer poachers stashed their deer there but it didnt make any sense. For one they never took the rack and secondly there wasnt a road near me, at least a mile in either direction. The stash was right in the middle of the woods, in the thickest part. My question to you guys and gals is what could do this? I ruled out people, but would a coyote or a stray dog stash their kills like this? This really has me scratching my head and hope to hear some suggestions on what this could be. Thanks

mr.mc54 · 04-05-2009, 05:52 AM

This really sounds interesting. Coyotes usually feed on the scene from what I have experienced . We have found dead fawns and dead calves that we thought were killed by coyotes in the past and they were eaten on the spot. Some bones were removed a little ways from the carcass, how-ever most were still by the carcass. I know Grizzlies will hide their kills but one certainly wouldn't think they would be in Iowa. Maybe a large cat would do this, but I don't know. This is interesting,,,,[:-]

Ihuntandfish · 04-05-2009, 01:09 PM

That's really strange. I would guess maybe a mountain lion, but I don't know if you have them in that area.

NCZ09 · 04-05-2009, 02:03 PM

I've never seen this myself, but I've had a couple of guys tell me they've found coyote dens with lots of deer bones in them (fawns mostly). However, this place you discribed doesn't really sound like a den. My guess would still be coyotes or maybe a couple of farm dogs. Just a guess.

bkniowa · 04-05-2009, 03:07 PM

hey me again..thanks for the responses...I just got back from taking another look and didnt find any tracks or any sign of what could of done this. Did not see any signs of a den or anything of that sort. The mountain lion suggestion is interesting..I looked up so info on them and they do cache their kills..I have heard rumors of people seeing them in this area but at least 20 miles from where I found this. This part of Iowa is mainly wide open farm ground but we happen to own roughly 200 acres of woods in the area and thats where I found this..So I guess if there was a cat around it could hang up there for a while. I also walked through an 80 acre woods that connects with the one where the bone pile was found and saw 6 dead turkeys..I dont think this means much though. I have a cuddyback camera and plan on putting that up around that cache of bones in hopes of catching a glimpse of the culprit. If I find out anything I let you guys know..thanks