I caught it too late, a missed telephone message responding to a short narrative about a deer that had been killed by coyotes up the road from my home a month ago, one that dovetails nicely with fresher news about deer mortality north of here, in Vermont, where experts are concerned about the effects this winter will have on their herd. So why not touch on both subjects and take a swipe at “the fellas,” to boot?

Sounds like a plan on this gray day, annoying white stuff looming.

First, the telephone message. I happened across it last week at work while going through more recent stuff about the passing of a friend. A Greenfield lawyer wanted to tell me about a second deer-kill in my neighborhood, a more brazen act. The deer had been tackled and partially devoured on a neighbor’s driveway. The caller left the name of a colleague who knew more. I contacted the source to see what he knew. The answer was, not much, but he did confirm that a deer had been killed on a neighbor’s driveway, that the neighbor had chased off coyotes eating it, then dragged the carcass away from his yard.

Not surprisingly, the coyote activity I routinely heard at night during cold, crusty late January had been productive. Apparently, that pathetic deer had attempted to escape by heading for civilization, hoping the coyotes would back off. No such luck. Coyotes are smart. They learn to coexist with humans, operate when activity is light in residential neighborhoods. They move in when the lights are out, seeking food, be its cats, garbage or both. If they rummage around Boston suburbia, then what’s the chance that they’ll shy away from the Greenfield Meadows? Slim to none, especially with fresh, tasty red meat in sight.

Moving to Vermont, well, if you think the winter here was bad for deer, it was worse in the Green Mountain State, where wildlife biologists are prepared for the worst. According to Dr. Shawn Haskell, Vermont’s deer project leader, conditions forward will dictate antlerless-permit recommendations for the fall deer season.

”Once again, western Vermont has maintained less snow than the rest of the state, at least until mid-February,” Dr. Haskell said. ”Predictions of a cold dry winter seem about half-right. It has been quite cold but we have received lots of snow. It could be worse. Much of the state experienced 20-30 inches of snowmelt in December. Had that not occurred, the deer might already be in trouble.”

Haskell says winter conditions in late March and April are especially critical for deer, which is true here as well. By then, they will have burned off most of their fat reserves and will become weak and vulnerable. Frigid temperatures or persistent deep snow can weaken and kill them, one way or another. Adult deer survive severe winter conditions better than fawns. Although adult females may survive until mid-April, their body condition is probably depleted enough by the time they drop fawns four to 10 weeks later that they have too little energy to produce the milk needed for twins. So, not only do difficult winters reduce the yearling fawn crop, they also increase spring fawn mortality.

Deer maintain a reduced metabolism during winter, conserving energy while moving and feeding less. Consistent harassment by predators changes the formula and causes mortality. All dog breeds can be guilty, and chase-related deaths occur even when deer are not caught.

State authorities are quick to caution dog owners that free-roaming pets chasing deer can be shot. They rarely mention coyotes. Although I am no coyote hater, I find it irritating that wildlife officials try to deny the impact they have on northern New England’s deer herds. We’re told that domestic dogs can chase and kill healthy deer, but that coyotes prey on the sick and injured. Simple logic will tell you that pet dogs are no match for their wild cousins as hunters. So why don’t our wildlife officials admit it? Do they think we’re stupid?

It’s institutional dishonesty. Any discussion about canine predation of deer should start with wild and include domestic.

Tell it like it is, fellas. That’s all we ask.

Coyotes are the most efficient large-game predators in our woods. And unless cougars and wolves return, that’s not going to change.