Oko Wikcemna Topa ake Zaptan

Monday, Dec 28, 2015 to Sunday, Jan 3, 2016: high 32, low -15

Yesterday afternoon snow shoed to the trail cameras and on the way back passed through the wicoti. That is where the picture above was taken. But the object on the tipi platform in the foreground caught my attention, so shoed closer to get a better look. And what a surprise–it was a dead rabbit. Or more accurately, a killed rabbit. Apparently the rabbit had been under the platform, gaining access between two boards. That opening is on the far right of the picture below. The rabbit’s guts are piled just to the left of that opening. Whatever killed the rabbit did a fine job of gutting it, and then eating the meat, probably to the left of the rabbit where the snow is discolored. The spine is picked clean. Strangely, the front legs seem to be missing.There are no obvious paw prints around the carcass, so perhaps it was a raptor that killed the mastincala? There is not much evidence of a struggle, but the kill is at least a couple days old.