Tracks and Scat (Bear scat?)

[Mistwalker]

Another long day today, and then went for a walk afterwards. How is this for an office with a view? I love the open office concept...but sometimes more so than others.

Most of the photos up to this point were work related, so I can't go there, but the walk afterward netted some photos I have been hunting for some time. I have spent a lot of time in the woods in this area, and I have seen deer tracks on the dirt roads as long as I can remember.

These were moving fast only touching once in the dirt road.

I am getting used to seeing more coyote tracks and scat as I have seen a lot of them here lately.

end part -1

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[Mistwalker]

But ever since I found this scat back in the summer, and learned it was likely bear, I have been looking around for other tracks.

Today I ran across this pile of scat, and started looking around the area for tracks.

I found somethin interesting. These are the right shape and size to be wolf tracks... now to look for the animals making them.

Then one last look out the window as I headed out the door to go home.

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[Watchful]

Excellent photos.

I would recommend that anyone looking for assistance in identifying tracks in the future use some of the techniques Mistwalker is kind enough to demonstrate:

1. Take multiple pictures of the tracks from different angles.

2. Take a wider shot so we can see the gait, tread length, and direction.

3. Put an object in there that we all know so that we can gauge the size of the print.

Regarding that last item--some of those coyote prints are pretty big. You either have a very Alpha male, or that might be a dog. Thoughts? I wasn't there with ya, but that's coyote scat for sure. It's just that one print is a whopper for a coyote.

EDIT: I also like the fact you show prints on different types of soil...solid to sandy. Good reference photos for anyone interested in learning.

 

[Mistwalker]

Excellent photos.

I would recommend that anyone looking for assistance in identifying tracks in the future use some of the techniques Mistwalker is kind enough to demonstrate:

1. Take multiple pictures of the tracks from different angles.

2. Take a wider shot so we can see the gait, tread length, and direction.

3. Put an object in there that we all know so that we can gauge the size of the print.

Regarding that last item--some of those coyote prints are pretty big. You either have a very Alpha male, or that might be a dog. Thoughts? I wasn't there with ya, but that's coyote scat for sure. It's just that one print is a whopper for a coyote.

EDIT: I also like the fact you show prints on different types of soil...solid to sandy. Good reference photos for anyone interested in learning.

Thank you, I'm glad you liked the shots. It takes some playing with angle to get some of them to show up very well.

I like using an object at least most of us can identify with for a ref. but I am going to buy/make a 6 inch ruler to carry with me on hikes from now on. I think I am going to end up preoccupied with this....

 

[RedbeAR15]

Nice thread :thumbup:

Odd, I have never seen corn in coyote scat?

Could be a wolf track, I think the NC DNR released some red wolves a few years back in WNC. I would think more likely a large dog.

How far away from the corn field did you find that scat?

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice thread :thumbup:

Odd, I have never seen corn in coyote scat?

Could be a wolf track, I think the NC DNR released some red wolves a few years back in WNC. I would think more likely a large dog.

How far away from the corn field did you find that scat?

the corn is planted in scattered small fields for the deer, so not far from the nearest field. The odd part is that the only common area for those tracks and human tracks is the watering hole. The human tracks started at the parking area on one side of the pond and went for about a half mile up that road that is closed to vehicle traffic and returned to the parking area. The canine tracks came from the other direction to the far side of the pond and then went back. The road back to the parking area is sandy with a few human tracks but no canine tracks at all. I found some of those tracks two miles after the human tracks had stopped and turned back. There were no signs of domestic dog scat that I saw. Whatever the canine is I think it is feral. Interestingly that is the leading edge of an area that has been closed to vehicle traffic for a few years now. It is some sort of wild turkey sanctuary.

 

[TheGame]

Never knew there were wolves in NC. Guess you learn something new everyday.

Thanks for the pics of the tracks. Haven't seen as many of them here as the constant snowing, then raining is blurring the tracks over and making them only dents in the snow here. Looking forward to my trip to TN in a few weeks. Hopefully get some good time out then :thumbup:

 

[Stickman]

That was a really cool post Mist, great job on the pics and good information. Your last "out of office" shot really says it all, nice composition too.

 

[JUST1MOR]

Then one last look out the window as I headed out the door to go home.

Mist, I don't know if you are a fisherman-type person, but this last shot is about as addicting to me as your food shots . . .
Great office you have, excellent subject to ponder. Tracking & hunting were the two things my dad & my grandfather always "preached" to me while growing up on our farm. Not a day goes by I wished I had listened just a little bit more when I had the chance.
Excellent post as always.
Be safe.

 

[RedbeAR15]

the corn is planted in scattered small fields for the deer, so not far from the nearest field. The odd part is that the only common area for those tracks and human tracks is the watering hole. The human tracks started at the parking area on one side of the pond and went for about a half mile up that road that is closed to vehicle traffic and returned to the parking area. The canine tracks came from the other direction to the far side of the pond and then went back. The road back to the parking area is sandy with a few human tracks but no canine tracks at all. I found some of those tracks two miles after the human tracks had stopped and turned back. There were no signs of domestic dog scat that I saw. Whatever the canine is I think it is feral. Interestingly that is the leading edge of an area that has been closed to vehicle traffic for a few years now. It is some sort of wild turkey sanctuary.

One things for sure - that's a big canine, and if feral, a potentially dangerous one

 

[WolfTracker]

These look like hog:

Note the 2 toes in front and the turned-out dew claws in the rear of the track. Seeing the scat with the corn in it (there is a good joke to be made somewhere), further leads me to conclude that it is a wild boar.

Someone with more experience, please feel free to chime-in...

 

[Watchful]

Yup. Boar it is. On a domestic pig, the dew claws aren't usually so pronounced. Boars can be distinguished from deer and small elk with dew claws: boar prints look like two exclamation points (!!) while deer have real curvature ().

Where were those taken? Could be peccary or javelina, too.

 

[Mistwalker]

Never knew there were wolves in NC. Guess you learn something new everyday.

Thanks for the pics of the tracks. Haven't seen as many of them here as the constant snowing, then raining is blurring the tracks over and making them only dents in the snow here. Looking forward to my trip to TN in a few weeks. Hopefully get some good time out then :thumbup:

Yeah, I thought they were all up north and out west till I heard some of the south eastern states were trying to reintroduce them.

We have some fun woods to play in, what part of TN are you headed to?

That was a really cool post Mist, great job on the pics and good information. Your last "out of office" shot really says it all, nice composition too.

Thanks man, glad you enjoyed it. Glad you liked that last shot, I did too.

Mist, I don't know if you are a fisherman-type person, but this last shot is about as addicting to me as your food shots . . .
Great office you have, excellent subject to ponder. Tracking & hunting were the two things my dad & my grandfather always "preached" to me while growing up on our farm. Not a day goes by I wished I had listened just a little bit more when I had the chance.
Excellent post as always.
Be safe.

I like to fish when I get the chance, I have fished that pond a few times.

When I was growing up we trapped, so I am really familiar with some tracks and scat...not so familiar with others. Fox I can easily spot as the high fox population killing so many chickens on the back side of Signal Mountain back in the 70's was what got us into trapping to start with. Coyote weren't here back then.

One things for sure - that's a big canine, and if feral, a potentially dangerous one

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I'm just guessing but I think some of those tracks were just over four inches. One reason I want a ruler to take with me is that I think there were two different sets of large canine tracks with one slightly smaller than the other. We had a major rain storm today that will have washed away a lot of tracks and wet the ground good. I plan on heading up there earlier tomorrow to look around again.

These look like hog:

Note the 2 toes in front and the turned-out dew claws in the rear of the track. Seeing the scat with the corn in it (there is a good joke to be made somewhere), further leads me to conclude that it is a wild boar.

Someone with more experience, please feel free to chime-in...

I could be wrong...sure wouldn't be the first time...but I think they were tracks from deer on the run that jumped and hit once in the road

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Great Post Mist

 

[fujita yuji]

Nice shots with acute observations.
Great post, mistwalker!

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks Bill and Fujita, I'm glad you guys liked the post.

 

[TheGame]

We have some fun woods to play in, what part of TN are you headed to?...

Gatlinburg area with my mom, sister, and buddy Pete. They go shopping usually. Although I do make them take a day for Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Plan to go the national park a couple times, but it really depends on what they want to do.

 

[Mistwalker]

Gatlinburg area with my mom, sister, and buddy Pete. They go shopping usually. Although I do make them take a day for Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Plan to go the national park a couple times, but it really depends on what they want to do.

I love Gatlinburg and it's one of my wife's favorite places. I hope to get back up that way myself soon.