Sorry for your loss, I lost 9 of my first batch of 11 ducks. Nothing pleasant about it. I would probably use the carcasses for bait which would be poetic justice if you kill the predator.
Anyway, 8 of my ducks were taken by coyotes, maybe bobcat. I know this from the footprints and that they leave nothing behind. As a neighbor pointed out, they are always moving and will grab a bird on the go. I lost one duck to a raccoon who was able to reach through a gap by the door to their duck house (since fixed) and eat whatever it could pull out, mostly head and neck. I think hawk and owl will leave parts and pieces behind as well.
I buried the carcass a few hundred feet away, but something dug it up a day later (hence the bait idea). I have snares and traps set in areas I find footprints most often, but no catch so far. I think the snares are a bust, but I have seen footprints within inches of the 2 coil spring traps set along the fence line. Coyotes are considered a pest in Florida and legal to kill year round.
Good luck on the hunt!
Rich
