collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Scat and Sign Identification Questions  (Read 2684 times)

Offline UrbanTrapper

  • Life Member: NRA, SCI, DSC, NTA, WSTA, ITA, ATA
  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 403
  • Location: Seattle or Kittitas County
  • Groups: NRA, SCI, WWC, HHC, NTA, WSTA
Scat and Sign Identification Questions
« on: January 29, 2016, 11:26:44 AM »
Still learning to read scat and sign and I often find stuff I can't identify.  Attached are some current examples and my best guesses:

Scat 1: Marmot? (Cle Elum)
Scat 2: small cat? (Cle Elum)
Scat 03: no idea (Cle Elum)
Scat 04: mink (left), small otter (right)? (Bellevue)
Scat 05: no idea (Kent)
Sign 01:  Is this where a mink hauled out and ate a bird?( Bellevue)
Holes 01:  Muskrat holes? (next to a tiny ditch and a field of standing corn) (Kent)
« Last Edit: January 29, 2016, 04:42:30 PM by UrbanTrapper »

Offline SunnySlopes

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 89
  • Location: Wenatchee, WA.
Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2016, 12:27:55 PM »
Well I'll play. I'd like to be able to zoom in on your first pic but can't. It does look very simple to Rockchuck scat. They will live in and under old homesteads. Don't know where you took the pic, but, you wouldn't have any marmots over on the coast.
2. Feral cat
3. mink I would say from here. But, again don't know location of pic, possibally Marten, skunk.
4. weasel, both.
5. dirt eatin coyote.
Feathers. Anyones guess, I guess raptor picked a bird on that log.
Holes show no sign of anybody livin there. I'm sure a mink would poke his head in there when he goes by.
Big part of sign reading is knowing what speices inhabit the area and then a process of elimination til you decide on a likely suspect. Of course other evidence is important: In #1 are there any hairs stuck in those boards? If so what animal? Any seeds, insect, or scales in any of those scats? If so I'd change to a coon toilet.
Any tracks around any of them, etc.
When I was a kid I got a copy of petersons field guide to animal tracks by Olaus Murray. Great old book. I studied that book for years. In fact I opened it this fall to read what he had to say about wolf stride distance.
Soon you'll be able to tell the difference between coyote and cat tracks in the snow along the hiway at 60 mph!

Offline Linkslice

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Pilgrim
  • *
  • Join Date: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 20
Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2016, 03:25:31 PM »
When I was a kid I got a copy of petersons field guide to animal tracks by Olaus Murray. Great old book. I studied that book for years. In fact I opened it this fall to read what he had to say about wolf stride distance.
Soon you'll be able to tell the difference between coyote and cat tracks in the snow along the hiway at 60 mph!

Thanks for the tip. Ordering from Amazon right now!

Offline UrbanTrapper

  • Life Member: NRA, SCI, DSC, NTA, WSTA, ITA, ATA
  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 403
  • Location: Seattle or Kittitas County
  • Groups: NRA, SCI, WWC, HHC, NTA, WSTA
Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2016, 04:45:31 PM »
Thanks for the help, Sunnyslopes.  I went back and added locations and yes, Scat 01 was at an old homestead. 

Offline Trapper John

  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2012
  • Posts: 1644
  • Location: Monroe, WA
  • Groups: Life member of: WSTA, NTA, ITA, NRA also member of FTA, F4WM
Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2016, 10:27:32 PM »


You can get a couple of apps for your smart phone that will help you out while your out in the field.
The two that I tell new trappers to put on theirs phone are:
iTrack and Track Matcher.  Both are free to down load.
You can check tracks and I think scat too while your out in the field.
JC   :hello: 



 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

2025 elk success thread!! by huntnnw
[Today at 11:20:51 PM]


Talking About Barely Legal by Rob Allen
[Today at 10:51:34 PM]


Dehydrating Chantrelles by RobinHoodlum
[Today at 10:39:08 PM]


2025 opener by Goshawk
[Today at 09:56:14 PM]


Quality tag by JWBINX
[Today at 09:55:55 PM]


Douglas 108 Moose tag by TriggerMike
[Today at 09:06:30 PM]


Idaho on the verge of outlawing by pickardjw
[Today at 09:05:28 PM]


GROUSE 2025...the Season is looming! by lovetogrouse
[Today at 07:42:22 PM]


Blue Tongue and EHD outbreak in NE Washington by hunter399
[Today at 07:16:08 PM]


Japanese Kei truck? by Caseyd
[Today at 06:06:01 PM]


CCW/SA small Supreme Court win+breaking down the WWF "Not my WDFW" Campaign by Firstgenhunter
[Today at 05:42:36 PM]


3 pintails by metlhead
[Today at 05:30:31 PM]


Nile bull hunters by lee
[Today at 04:31:32 PM]


Boring & relining .22 barrel, any recommendations? by dreadi
[Today at 03:07:26 PM]


Bear Snare? by danderson
[Today at 01:42:34 PM]


Panhandle whitetail dates by TeacherMan
[Today at 12:51:25 PM]


Westside Muzzy Elk Habitat Help and Rut Help by stur4351@gmail.com
[Today at 10:41:46 AM]


Hunting with a suppressor - dumb idea? by Antlershed
[Today at 09:17:49 AM]


Do you need a place to stay??? Methow / Alta / Chiliwist? by ASHQUACK
[Today at 08:55:41 AM]


GMU 111 Aladdin Moose Hunt 2025! by HillHound
[Today at 05:06:48 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal