Very Strange sight!!!

[Jonathan]

I can't really see any evidence that this roe has been killed by a predator, or a lurcher for that matter. Experienced lurchers kill deer in much the same way a big cat would - by taking a throat hold and crushing the windpipe. Probably the most common killer of deer is collision with cars, very often deer run some distance after being hit before succumbing to shock and internal injuries.

If empty shotgun cartridges were found in the area it might be worth checking if there's a number printed somewhere on the case. If it says 5, 6 or 7 it's highly likely that they've been used for pigeon or game shooting. In most circumstances it's illegal to use a shotgun to control deer in the UK these days but poachers still use them, though they tend to use large size shot such as SG, SSG, BB, etc. A sensible poacher wouldn't leave his empty cartridges lying about however, and most shoot from a vehicle.

As others have said, the carcass looks as if it's been eaten by badgers to me. I've used tethered (prevents predators dragging the carcass under cover) road kill deer as bait for foxes in the past and have seen badgers clear a whole roe or even sika hind carcass in a night.

Cheers
Jonathan

[John_M]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

I've used tethered (prevents predators dragging the carcass under cover) road kill deer as bait for foxes in the past and have seen badgers clear a whole roe or even sika hind carcass in a night.

Cheers
Jonathan

Just out of interest, why do you use them as bait for foxes? Do you shoot / trap / photograph the foxes? I've never heard of anyone round here putting out bait for foxes, but I will readily admit that's probably down to my ignorance.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by John_M

Just out of interest, why do you use them as bait for foxes? Do you shoot / trap / photograph the foxes? I've never heard of anyone round here putting out bait for foxes, but I will readily admit that's probably down to my ignorance.

To shoot or kill them with lurchers John (I'm going back some years before the hunting with dogs legislation, I don't hunt at all these days), though wary foxes often ignore carcasses in places they aren't expecting to find them. I used to kill a lot of foxes for sheep farmers on hill ground, one of the most reliable ways to attract them was to bury a deer carcass in a shallow grave, presumably the foxes were used to digging up fallen stock that had been buried. No reason why one couldn't use the same ploy for photographing or simply watching foxes.

Cheers
Jonathan

[John_M]

Cheers for that info Jonathan, something else I've learned.
JM

[aland]

The killing of deer as become a big thing here in the Warwick, Oxford borders, twenty two in one night between Southam and Banbury, some of these people are butchering them in fields at night and leaving what they do not want on the ground to draw in foxes, it has become a money earner for some idiots.

[Beekeeper]

Fox was my first thought, it is not unknown for them to do this, in fact a good farmer friend had a young calf killed in the same way by a fox on the night it was born, needless to say, the fox didn't last long.

BK

[Muggsy]

Originally Posted by Beekeeper

Fox was my first thought, it is not unknown for them to do this, in fact a good farmer friend had a young calf killed in the same way by a fox on the night it was born, needless to say, the fox didn't last long.

BK

Sorry, but I don't believe the fox killed the calf, its more likely that the calf was still born.

[Cowgirl]

I agree, cows would be very protective & would soon see off something as small as a fox. Scavenging is more likely.

[BP Badger]

As others have said, the calf would be very well protected, and would also be a handful for a fox even at that size. There was a farmer who used to shoot buzzards around here claiming that they were killing his sheep, when he was just seeing them eat already-dead carcasses and jumping to conclusions.

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Muggsy

Sorry, but I don't believe the fox killed the calf, its more likely that the calf was still born.

When the calf was found it was still just about alive and the farmer had to put it out of its misery so yes i suppose the fox didn't actually kill it but as good as.