Snake.

 Since I know that not everyone wants to see a snake when they go to the blog for happy things, here is the garter snake I encountered today while getting the wheelbarrow.

This little guy seemed to like the compost pile.

A little while later just the end of the tail was noticable.

☮

Stomach or Carcass?

 So I found something in the snow this morning.  At first I thought it was an embryo or fetus from a mouse or other rodent.  When I examined the photo I thought maybe a mole because of the yellow looking part at what I thought could be a nose.  

  The closer I examined the photo the more I leaned toward this being a stomach.  Going back outside and seeing if it is still there and getting a much closer look would undoubtedly confirm this.  The timid teenager in me who didn't care for disections in school says nope.  The aged, curious, adult in me says yes.  The practical part, however, that part that looks at the forteen degrees, feels like zero, doesn't want to get dressed up again to head outside, even though it is nine degrees warmer than when this was found. 

So, what do you think?  Other than that I am a wuss!

I believe the tracks in the snow to be cat.

The stomach/or what?

Deer Carcass Update

 We made an attempt at boiling the deer carcass to remove what was left of the meat and such.  It is winter and we lacked enough dry wood-and enough human energy-to keep such a large amount of water boiling outside in the cold.  More research was done and the bones are now "buried" under an opaque bin in hopes that nature will, over time, clean off the bones.  The plan is to leave them there, undisturbed, until spring- maybe summer.  It may not work, I'm okay with that.  I can dig deeper and really bury them if need be.

The Deer Jaw.

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Deer Carcass

 Walking around our New Hampshire property today (January 1, 2021) with the family we came across a deer carcass.  Well, at least what was left of the deer.  I have seen plenty of deer footprints and occasional scat, as well as other animals on the property.  I’ve been noticing what I assumed were prints from a local dog.  I’m not good at identifying footprints, especially canine or feline varieties as the similarities are more than the differences for these untrained eyes.  Now I have reason to believe that the prints were from a coyote. The last time I walked through this part of the property was four days ago (December 28, 2020).

Here is what we found:

Deer head, spine and some ribs, a nice rack.

Same as above, different vantage.

Rear leg and more spine.

Close up of the same leg as above.

Some fur amid the ribs from that first set of bones.

Pile of fur, ten feet or so? from the initial bones.
The hand is over the lower jaw.

The is probably a hip or shoulder bone?

More fur, another ten feet or so from the other pile of fur.

Scat, possiby from a coyote. 
I had a vinyl glove in my pouch and so I felt it for warmth.
The narrow part was hard, but there was still warmth/squishiness in the larger part.  
Obviously lots of fur too.

Just another tuft of fur.

Comments welcome.

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