While visiting Grand Teton National Park we went on the winter sleigh tour through the National Elk Refuge just outside Jackson, Wyoming. Thousands of elk will gather here during the winter months and on this day there was an elk carcass that our guide said had probably died of natural causes the day before. He said earlier in the morning a coyote had been feeding on it. As we watched a bald eagle flew in and landed on the carcass and began to feed. Within a short time we spotted the coyote from quite a long distance off coming back to reclaim his find. This led to a standoff between eagle and coyote as both warily circled the carcass trying to get the upper hand. After several minutes of the standoff hunger won out and apparently they both decided eating was better than posturing and there was plenty for both. They began feeding on opposite sides of the carcass. All of this while closely surrounded by hundreds of other elk.

This photo was taken using a Canon Rebel xT with a Canon 70-300 mm lens. It was was captured at 1/400 second at f/8, 200mm, ISO400.