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The upper and lower canines of an adult cougar skull fit
nicely into the two holes in the white-tailed deer skull.
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The upper and lower canines of an adult cougar skull fit
nicely into the two holes in the white-tailed deer skull.
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This deer skull of a deer that was most likely killed in the Fall 0f 2002 was found in a wooded area along the Big Sioux River Valley in Sioux County. There are two teeth loose on the jaw which are in the right position to have been loosened by the bite. The third deer molar (the farthest back) on the right side of the deer skull would have been pushed by the right lower canine of the cougar. "On the other side of the deer skull the first molar (after the three premolars) is also lose and this is approximately where the molars of the upper right jaw of the cougar would have pressed down (see picture above and below)." (Pollema 2004) "The puncture marks shown below could not be a result of a bullet path because the holes do not go through the entire skull. The skull seems to have been penetrated from both sides." (Pollema 2004) I suspect this is a drag bite and not a killing bite. |
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A tab of bone is pushed in and still attached (on the lower side - toward the teeth) on the hole on the left side. Click here for a picture that shows the tab in the hole. I think this indicates that the hole was made before the skull was dry and brittle (probably while it had flesh on it) and that the initial force of the puncture was on lower side of the hole (away from the teeth) but then enlarged the hole pushing the bone in.