Browner Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Any ideas what might have killed this sheep ? We found it whilst walking around Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor yesterday afternoon. Very fresh and clean kill . . . . . [a tachment=15479:resized_Image116.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SidneyG Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) The Big cat breeds loose in this country that are capable of this size prey as a rule tend to eat from the throat in, they like fresh blood believe it or not. Doesnt mean it definately wasnt though. Any prints? Edited March 7, 2008 by SidneyG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SidneyG Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Looking at tho photo again, the wool on the ground a little distance from the sheep suggests a struggle. A big cat kill is nearly always instant and clean, no signs of struggle, my money is on dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeksofdoom Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Slightly off topic but here goes anyway.......Sheep drop dead in fields from natural causes all the time and are eaten by foxes, thats why a lot of farmers poison carcases for the foxes, if your out walking your dog this time of year make sure he under control in sheep areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Cats and wolves kill and eat from the front. Fox, Yotes, and Dogs kill and eat from the rear, usually eating in from the anus or utter into the stomack contents. Another interesting thing is with a cat kill you will quite often find the animal skinned inside out, like it was pulled off like a sock. Check how a Moggie eats a rat or rabbit. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 come on you lot you've given the big cat conspiracy fans no ammunition at all But I'm with the concensus of opinion of dog or fox. Its quite possible it was natural causes and been moved while its been being eaten. possibly by more than one dog, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vagabond Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 My vote is for the DOGS on this one. Big cats don't eat in the open, they prefer to conceal their kill from other predictors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Dogs or foxes. Area looks like it could be a major dog waling area. They may not have killed said sheep but they've certainly taken advantage of it's demise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markio Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I'm going to go for budgies, fasaands of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 The missing eye would also indicate that it may have been several creatures eating it, crows maggies etc. I`m with the fox/dog theory here. I`ve seen and photographed a roe eaten in a similar manner by a fox and it even managed to drag it a good distance and that was eaten from the back end first. Sorry I deleted the pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vagabond Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I hope your going to set up your hide nearby and take full advantage of the situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 I'm with the "cause of death unknown, eaten by dogs or foxes," brigade, probably more than one, that's a lot of guts missing for one dog to eat, and as henry says, aided and abetted by crows or magpies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clum84 Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 that sheep had been dead for at least a few hours when it was eaten. you can tell this by there being no blood or arterial spray on the wool showing that the circulatory system was shut down. id put money on a dog or fox. if it was a big cat you would likley see wounds around the throat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Sam Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Seen a couple of sheep like that on the farm, they drop off of natural causes and a few hours later the foxes eat em, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tink Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 At a guess I would say the fatal blow was struck by a vehicle. The death of the sheep occured to the left of the track as there is an amount of wool that has been pulled from the carcass all within 1 spot and chances are that foxes have been going at it at least for a day as there is a lot of meat gone there also the bone from the leg is missing. Also what makes me think it is at least 24 hours old is that the eyes of the sheep have been taken most likely by magpies or crows which would have been in daylight hours and the guts of the animal are missing, chances are the sheep was struck and had its leg mangled by a vehicle on the track and died to the side of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 they drop off of natural causes and a few hours later the foxes eat em, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdfish Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Suicide?? JDF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 This was a fox too >>HERE<< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browner Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Just been back 24 hours later to see what happened over night. The carcass has moved 20 yards or so to underneath a bank and the ribs have been cleaned. Found some scat nearby . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 so why aren't you lying in wait for charlie tonight??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Can you hack off a couple of legs and a shoulder joint for me? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browner Posted March 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 so why aren't you lying in wait for charlie tonight??? hi highlander No permission and I only have an Air Rifle, otherwise i'd be there ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 Can you hack off a couple of legs and a shoulder joint for me? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavman Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 (edited) Seen a couple of sheep like that on the farm, they drop off of natural causes and a few hours later the foxes eat em, Nasty Business Edited March 7, 2008 by pavman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted March 7, 2008 Report Share Posted March 7, 2008 My guess is that it was dragged off of the path by a member of the public rather than an animal, it looks very close to a road? a car may well have been the cause of it's demise, from then onwards, it's open house, you name it, if it eats, it's probably been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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