Elk Herd and Coyote in Snow

In the winter, mice usually live in a snow-covered world of tunnels and pathways along the surface of the ground where it is relatively warm—around freezing.  When elk and bison feed, they push or paw away the snow to expose grass and other food, and they inadvertently expose the mice pathways to predators.  This coyote was checking the disturbed snow for mice as the elk moved away.