Coyote (Wolf?) attacks Deer

Sunday 3/29/2009, I was fly fishing North River (Tennessee, USA) about a mile and a half upstream from where it flows into the Tellico River. The river is more like a small stream in this area and is only about 35-40 feet in width. Had it not been for the ever present Rhododendron and overhanging but, currently leafless tree limbs, one could easily fish the left side of the stream from the right bank. I found a semi open spot where I could side cast my fly upstream into a nice run and *maybe* miss the leafless limbs to my right and the Rhododendron to my left. On the second or third cast I heard a loud animal "Garrr" sound from what seemed to be fairly close! I dismissed the odd noise for a moment since it sounded like someone faking an animal sound and I suspected some jokester could be walking in behind me trying to spook me. I removed the hood of my coat from my head hoping to hear better as I turned and scanned the area: nothing. I then recalled that I was deep in bear and boar country and alone and I better start paying more attention to my personal safety. In another few seconds I heard the now louder, faster and forced "Gaarrrrr" as something was running towards me. My adrenalin level shot up as I began to notice through the brush a large animal headed my way!!! Thinking it could be a bear, I loudly shouted at it to make my presence known. The commotion continued toward me and was now down to the stream bank. I see a white flash among the neutral tones of motion and realized it was the tail of a Deer. But wait, something is wrong! The antlerless Deer is struggling and moving about rapidly but not gaining much ground. In another second, I see extra legs mixed in with the legs of the Deer and they seem out of place and sort of under/behind the Deer. For a millisecond, I'm thinking to myself "the Deer is giving birth" or is it? Although the Deer is now near the water, I am still viewing it with some Rhododendron and a tree or two between us. What is happening over there?? All this is excitement in just a few seconds! In a moment, I can see clearly that the Deer is being attacked by a Wolf looking animal. Another few seconds go by and I realize I must be seeing a large Coyote, not a Wolf. I'm still not 100% sure but, I figure the odds are that it is a Coyote. (Maybe one of you can tell from the video??) To my surprise, the Deer is the animal making the loud, odd "Garrr" sound and it is unable to escape the attack. The Deer falls over on to its left side still kicking and thrashing about as the Coyote exchanges its bite on the hind quarters to a suffocating bit to the throat. The Deer is going motionless more and more as the seconds pass. I am still standing in thigh deep current trying to grab my camera, hold on to my fly rod and reel and keep from falling in the water. I am able to get the camera out and snap some photos and even some shaky video. I try to take a couple of steps upstream. The Coyote looks up and sees me, releases its death grip on the Deer and runs back into to the woods. The bloody Deer lies motionless for a while and then shows signs of life. The Deer hobbles up confused and limps into the water and attempts to cross the stream a few feet from me. It circles in the middle of the stream for a few minutes, probably in shock. We make and hold eye contact for a long time. I struggle to think of what to do to help the Deer. I realize I should not have moved at all during the attack as I have unintentionally interrupted a natural event and have postponed a fast death for the deer. I'm still standing in the middle of the stream as the Deer struggles to get out of the water and escape into the woods all the while trying to put weight on its now useless leg. I look around to see if the Coyote is watching from the edge of the tree line. I can't see it but, am sure it is not going to give up its kill easily and will probably stalk the blood trail as soon as I leave the area.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• P3290289

[katykelly100]

@saltcitystud A bobcat cannot take down a deer. I've seen bobcats get totally crushed by deer. They're too small to take down very large game. However,  wolf, cougar, or anything a little bigger can easily take a deer down.

[beaver5197561AH]

I live in the area it is to small for a yote I would say wolf. The only prob with that I's they aren't native to the area.

[fishjohnburg]

I don't see it close enough,

[saltcitystud]

That's big coyote, but even a bobcat can kill a deer.

[bllblnt7]

dam that single coyote took down that dear? that just shows what their capable of. and im getting tired of people talking about killing coyotes. they have to survive you fucking morons

[mommaLaughing]

that's scary! it was difficult to see what was going on clearly. i thought there were several coyotes. it is so sad, simply because deer don't kill (that I know of), and they seem so beautiful and sweet. But, of course, the coyotes are just being who they were created to be. Recently, a car in front of me hit a deer and kept going without even pausing. it fell on the side of the road, and eventually was trying to get up. My son wanted me to help, but obviously there was nothing we could do. :-(

[nordlandj]

@MsMariosonic lol

[IAMTHEPROCESSOR]

@hippiegirl666 but we now cause almost 50% of there death with the mess and killing we leave on earth so....

[hippiegirl666]

@MrIzzy1974 if he had he would've disrupted the natural order of life. like when sea turtles hatch and people want to help them from being eaten by birds. they're not allowed and natural selection has to take its coarse.

[MrBajpas]

keako je