A little help Identifying a Preditor please?

Just a quick question here. Would anyone have any idea what animal around the lake Okeechobee Florida area would attack a chicken, only eat part of it and hide the rest under leaves? Just happened to my friend where I'm getting ready to move too, so would like a idea of what to try and look out for.

I can take a guess, but I'm not familiar with what would try and hide the body. Any clues or thoughts will be appreciated. I am from south Florida but not that area. Thanks.

A few decades ago I went to Boyscout camp close to there and we had problems with Florida bobcats. That could be your predator.

Florida panther is another possibility, though those primarily are south of you.

Another thought is feral house cats or feral dogs.

Sounds kinda like a bob cat, or a wild or feral cat.
Here is a good link icwdm.org...

a reply to: onehuman

I'm going with Heff&Jed on this. Cats are finicky eaters...
Felines and K9's are the only others in the animal kingdom that exhibits this behavior.

You can rule out reptiles... they swallow in whole. Bears and raccoons are out. They're opportunity enhanced...

Which leaves you a cat or dog..
Sally Struthers is also accepted.

Having a 12 foot Boa..... I know he eats his food at Boa speed. This is not your predator.

A dog or cat is your answer.

sounds like a bobcat to me, but ours are a bit different than yours.


Could just be a feral cat. or a lynx, even.

Thanks folks! I'm going to guess a larger cat since there was a rather large paw print around the duck pond a little over a month ago with a missing duck. From what I read at that great link (thank you for posting that), seems they do try and bury or cover. That was the part that was confusing me.

Again, thanks so much for the help

One of these?

a reply to: Night Star

I'd so love it up... oh yes! It bit my face off!

a reply to: onehuman

Agreed with others who say its a cat.

In my experience with my insane ass cats, they will eat part of their food only and save the rest for later. I read somewhere that they do this because they don't know when they will be able to eat again. Some cats will cover their food with toys or a sock to hide it if there are other animals in the house.

Happened to me fairly regularly.

a reply to: onehuman

It could also be a coyote.

They will sometimes hide their prey for their pups.

They love chicken too.

www.backyardchickens.com...

a reply to: onehuman

No one is saying it so I will

Chupacabra ?

Feral Hog?

Possibly a coon. I've found chickens that were only partially eaten and it turned out to be a coon.

a reply to: onehuman
A jealous rooster.................or seriously, a swamp rat.