good question, I had caught several females and/or smaller & younger members that were either bitten to hell, killed, or totally "beat-up" by other coyotes. I noticed this behavior often if the winter was more severe, but I didn't think it was that bad this year yet. I caught a double one year where the first catch was a small female that was bit up and half-eaten...caught her in a dirthole set. She was still alive and had huge chunks bitten out of her hind flanks. Just over the rise in the pasture was an older, "wolfy" looking male in a post set that was honest-to-god the first coyote I ever caught that didn't back away from me, or assume the cowering position, or show any fear of me whatsoever. He was on "my" end of the chain the entire time and mad as hell. Was glad to have welded, kinkless chain and a good hold on him. I put him down and to this day still believe he was the culprit that maimed that female so badly. In this case, the post set seemed to play well on his territorial nature so much. I would probably make the post more "visible" to the first set next time instead of over the rise from it. Maybe this post set near your dead coyote would work in similar manner for you???
