Game Camera on Deer Carcass

In late May, a White-Tailed Deer was hit and killed by a vehicle in Litchfield. White Memorial staff dragged the carcass into the woods in the same area where, if you remember from a former post, we had dragged a road-killed coyote carcass over the winter. These photos come from a series of game cameras we placed around the carcass to watch the scavengers take action. 

A Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura, spreads its wings on the carcass
It appears to make strategic incisions to mitigate bloating, by opening
the gut in several places

A Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana, walks past the carcass. 

Two Turkey Vultures spread their wings, perhaps in an attempt to balance on the swollen carcass.
Another vulture stands to the side.

Three Turkey Vultures pick meat off of the deer

A Coyote, Canis latrans, approaches the deer carcass. It does not stay long

Four Turkey Vultures surround the carcass 

The wing span of a Turkey Vulture is about 6 feet

Four Turkey Vultures surround the now rotting carcass 

A coyote is encountered in a swamp adjacent to the carcass.
We placed a camera toward the swamp to see if the same animals who were using this carcass as
a food resource would use the swamp as a water resource.