Cam Catches Coyote Attack On Mature Buck

Fawns don’t have 8-point racks outside the ears! Jeff McDonald was in the woods the morning coyotes attacked and killed this buck. He heard the commotion and assumed coyotes were attacking a small deer. Later, when he checked a trail camera, he realized the coyotes were attacking a full-grown buck.

Youngsters or those new to hunting in Georgia likely don’t know the history of our coyote situation. There was a time—hard to believe it really was not that long ago—when hunters first started saying coyotes were impacting deer. Those hunters were literally laughed at, publicly ridiculed on website forums—at times by folks with official-sounding titles in front of and behind their names.

There was also a time when trail cameras didn’t exist. Even the most ardent coyote-impact scoffer has to gulp when he checks his trail camera and sees Wile E. Coyote running by with a fawn in its mouth. Now, there’s undeniable research showing coyotes have a great impact on fawn survival.

But what about turkeys? Rabbits and quail? What about mature bucks?

There might not be research yet, but there are trail cameras.

Jeff McDonald hunts in Harris County.

“I have noticed more coyote sign every year,” Jeff said.

On the morning of Nov. 27, Jeff was hunting in a stand on the property when he heard a commotion.

“I got a quick glimpse as two or three yotes ran this deer into a creek. I heard what sounded like four death moans. I assumed it was a small deer, and I was running late, so I didn’t check it out until I retrieved this trail-cam photo.

“I guess those who used to say coyotes only attack the sick or weak are wrong,” Jeff said.

“I called in four coyotes this past spring while turkey hunting on the same tract, and one didn’t make it back to the den. I killed another coyote the week before Christmas.”

Send your trail-camera pictures to GON by e-mailing [email protected].