A big beautiful Angus cow of four years and due to calve in March broke her leg coming off the truck today. A real shame too but that's how it goes.
I knocked her down, towed her to the dog bank 240 yards from home, whipped the back legs off and the full straps for my own dogs. Obviously she will be an attraction for wild dogs and I will keep an eye on her for a night wander. A real shame.

Bugger!

Had a peek at 3.30 AM saw "something" it turned out to be a fox having a chew..tools down.

Hope some wild dogs turn up for you. Would love to shoot a couple myself.

I saw one at 3am and after a mistake on my part it winded me and went. I was filthy on myself too.

Bugger. How long before they're brave enough to return ?

Next night if hungry but theres been bugger all activity at the carcase..game camera shows nothing at all.

Due to summer heat and freezer room constraints I took the straps, back legs and one fore leg only.
This is the bitch(?) I saw the other morn around 3am but she got a whiff of Griff and bolted.
Turned up last night at 9.40 PM then left without eating then came back at 11.20 PM just looking and very warily. Presuming that the IR glow is too much.
I placed the cow 240 yards from the house btw as sometimes they will feed in daylight.

The bait is certainly presentable. I'm sure ( she ) won't be able to resist and will return at some point. Takes a bit of time keeping an eye on it though but if you're determined I guess that's what you have to do. Following with interest.

I`ve been looking but at the wrong time ha ha. I have thought about a couple of bracelets being deployed also.

Bait must be getting a bit ripe by now! I had the same thing happen last year with an Angus heifer. Leg cut to the bone. Vet bill ended up more than she was worth. Still had a big lump on her foot after a year so was unsaleable. She was a fence and gate leaper so I put her in with the deer. After a year I shot her for the freezer. Disillusioned with our local butcher. Never looks like much meat when a beast comes back from him. Had forgotten how much work it is butchering, mincing and sausaging a heifer that size. Deer take no time! Must be getting old.
In future I will just smile and try to look happy and take the carcass down to the butcher again!

This Angus cow was 4 year old and FAT as a seal with a near full term calf inside. Thus a friggin` mountain of meat and the maggots are spilling in shovel fulls and phew she`s ripe alright.

Dog was back last night.

That dog better visit more often if it doesn't want to miss out. A million maggots can chew through a heap in quick time.

My est is 2 million.

The maggots have eaten more than any dogs.

Yep. Only took 3 - 4 days. Better shoot that dog soon before there's no incentive to hang around.

Times on camera last night/this morning.

There were four others that I saw.Only one stepped in steel.

Good sized dog. Looks like overall they've been pretty nocturnal. Did you get any opportunity at all to see them in a scope ?

Low percentage shots only on offer so I didn't bother. Traps reset same holes and another solo under her hanging in the dog tree.
It (she) is actually a bitch,a lean hard muscle machine that had to my surprise fat on her guts. Older model circa 6-8 years by her teeth wear.

How old can they live to do you reckon Gryph ?
I know they have much tougher lives than domestic pets and it surprises me the bitch had fat on her guys. Many wild dogs look too lean to imagine that. A pity you didn't get a decent shot opportunity. Snares are doing that job for you instead.

quote:

Originally posted by 30.06king:
How old can they live to do you reckon Gryph ?
Snares are doing that job for you instead.

Age generally decided by the greying of the muzzle and the worn broken teeth. The brindle dog below I thought was getting up in age close to 10 perhaps on a second look. Trapped him.
The big white/creamy bastard, well have a look at his teeth. His canines are worn down to rounded nubs and his molars are ground as well. He was top dog and very very muscular and powerful and near on twice the size of his mates shown in other pics. Trapped.
I laid another trap at another pissing tree this morning.

Thanks Gryph. Good indicators to age dogs by I agree. Actually when I see your dog pics I can't help but remember Wolves I saw in Idaho some years ago. I dearly wanted to shoot one and had tags but lady luck never looked my way. Though smaller overall your I reckon your wild dogs could be mistaken as Wolves at a quick glance. Maybe that's what happens to dogs reverted to the wilds over a long span of time. Natural forces reactivate the genes prompting development of the Wolf like characteristics that ( all ) dogs are derived from.