So this morning I decided to walk into a cut at first light. It was about a mile walk or so in. Wind was blowing downhill when I got to the landing, so I decided to sit for a bit and just watch. Behind me was about 75yards clearcut uphill. After a bit I ended up getting up and going to the far side of the landing so I could see into the side, and once I walked to the end I could hear something uphill inside the timber. Sounded like someone stepping on a rotten log over and over again. The area it was coming from didn't seem to be moving... after listening for a bit the wind started changing and blowing uphill... shortly after it ceased. I looked around that far edge of the cut and I could see a line of stumps leading uphill that looked freshly torn up... at least fresh as far as my inexperienced eye could tell.
Is this a common occurrence? Or was it something else entirely? I realize the stumps were torn up by a bear at some point, but was the bear likely the source of the noise I was hearing or no?