[blackdog]

An animal that dies out on the open range goes thru some serious surgical banquet mutilation.

First, as it's dying from weakness, shock, tetnus, or from ingesting some noxious plant, the eagles, hawks, crows, and vultures will pluck out the eyeballs. Next, the eagles will start surgically removing strips of flesh from the hind quaters, shoulders and back. This offers the best meat while the animal is still alive and tasty. In cool weather this can go on for a week before actual death occurs.

Next, after death, the eagles and hawks leave. They only prefer fresh prarie sushi. Now come the coyotes, foxes, vultures, and badgers. First thing they go for are the entrails(innerds and intestines). And yes, they remove them from the back end first. It's like pulling out rope. You keep on pulling for hours. Every now and then, a bladder, stomach, liver or such accompanies the intestines. In the summer , this ends the party, since the meat is pretty foul by this point. It's left for the rats, maggots, and insects. The hair or fur will make nice nesting material for every bird, rabbit, or vermin for a mile around. In the winter, the coyotes and wolves will dine on the carcass for months between good fresh kills.

It's esay to conclude that anyone stumbling on natures buffet party might confuse it for some strange animal mutilation, especially around the time it's been surgically skinned in strips and either barely alive or just dead with half it's intestines pulled out in what might look like an anal probe gone Manson.

[Momaw Nadon]

Next, the eagles will start surgically removing strips of flesh from the hind quaters, shoulders and back.

I have great respect for eagles, but I did not know that they could cut off cow parts with surgical precision.

[ColoradoSlim]

That sounds very sensible blackdog. Not as mysterious as my evil government scientists but pretty dang accurate.

[Erik Latranyi]

I have a rancher aquaintance that told me he has actually seen eagles attack sheep by flying towards them and running them until the sheep are over-tired.

Then the eagle will separate one sheep from the rest and attack the back of the neck with a single attack that usually breaks the spine.

The eagle feasts until full and leaves the rest for the remainder of the food-chain to consume.

Ever see this type of thing or was this guy pulling my chain?

[Vigilantcitizen]

Possums love cow intestines too.

[Momaw Nadon]

"There's not a drop of blood in that animal. The only way you can drain an animal of blood is (to cut into it) with the heart still pumping," Yvonne said.

How would you explain the cow being completely drained of blood?

[PLMerite]

"an anal probe gone Manson."

"gone Manson."

I like that!