Hunting Strategies

Due to the structure of Deinonychus's legs it would seem apparent that it would run quickly, chasing down its quarry and then when grappling with it, would disembowel the prey with its sickle-clawed feet (Desmond, 1975).

Deinonychus would either stand or leap about on one log while slashing with the opposite leg or it would grasp its prey in its hands and slash with its hind legs (Wilford, 1985). Either way the act would require that Deinonychus have an extraordinary sense of balance and agility (Wilford, 1985) which indicated that Deinonychus had a complex nervous system necessary to coordinate such stunts (Desmond, 1975).

Since Deinonychus was a pack hunter its prey would be unable to defend themselves as Deinonychus slashed at it from all sides, thus Deinonychus would be able to take down prey that was slightly larger than itself but not much larger (Farlow et al, 1997).