jnelson's Identifications

This Mule Deer died within this trail camera's field of view on January 11 or 12, 2024. How it died is a mystery. Most likely poaching. You can the whole set of observations here https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&q=bog7hk,%20carcass

It's now possible to see that it may have been a doe. I still can't make out how it died. It is quite far from a road where it could have been injured. And if it had been killed by a mountain lion it would have been strange for the lion not to open the carcass for feeding and for the birds to begin with the face. My best guess is that a poacher wounded it and it happened to collapse in the field of view of the camera. See related observations
Previous: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212286450
First: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212116722

Quite a few ravens gather for a meal.
Magpies wait their turn: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212431179
An eagle arrives and scatters the smaller birds: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212431184

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&q=bog7hk,%20carcass for the complete set of observations at this mystery carcass.

The camera is triggered by a Turkey Vulture takeoff a week later, a fitting conclusion to the saga, two and one-half months after the deer carcass suddenly appeared.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&q=bog7hk,%20carcass for the complete set of observations at this mystery carcass.

October 14, 16, 17, a raccoon is standing to the right of the frame, partially concealed by branches. Per unposted video the raccoon carefully uses its nose to investigate both the rock and the low branches, in addition to most of the ground in the field of view. This location is about 100 feet above the river. I've tacked on a second image of a racoon at the same location two days later, this time at dawn and traveling very steadily from east to west without sniffing anything. In the third image from the following evening, a racoon is traveling steadily from west to east, without stopping to sniff anything.

2024/01/11 2:30 PM
On the afternoon of Jan 11, the time of the photo prior to this one (see photo #2), there was no deer carcass present in the field of view. Here, on the morning of Jan 12, 2024, a freshly dead deer carcass has suddenly appeared. The camera took no intervening photos and the associated video provides no additional information.

See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212083520

See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&q=bog7hk,%20carcass for the complete set of observations at this mystery carcass.

Because there is frequently very strong wind at this location, I have the motion sensor set to a relatively insensitive level, otherwise I get endless hundreds of photos of grass and juniper branches swaying. This is one time when I wish it had been at a more sensitive setting. I have no idea how the deer died, but it is possible that the final movements of this deer is what triggered the camera to take this photo.