While walking, I heard a salmon splash in the shallow creek and went to take a look. I ended up seeing a half dozen in a short distance.
On my way out I walked the bank of the creek looking for more salmon, both alive and dead. I was hoping to find some predator tracks or any sign of predation. Even though the live salmon were pretty beat up, I was surprised at the lack of floaters. I did find one salmon that was belly up. It was untouched by predators and birds.
I continued along the creek as I headed back to the truck and about 50 yards away from the dead salmon I found some tracks crossing a log that almost crossed the whole creek. It was just a little shy of hitting solid ground on my side, but I could see some bobcat tracks that came down and then back up the log.
I also noticed some domestic dog tracks near the base of the log. I am pretty sure that the dog was not chasing the bobcat and the dog tracks were a day or two fresher.
The dirt in the tracks is from my boots.
Wednesday night I went back to see if anything had touched the fish and all I found was skin. I decided I would come back on the weekend and set up a trail camera.
I went back this morning and made a 20 minute stand just in case any predator was around. I noticed at least three more fish within a few yards of the one from last week.
I set up near a bend in the creek with the salmon remains about twenty yards away on the other side. The call was set up in the grass near the bank of the creek closer to the remains than me. I never heard a thing and had no visible takers.
A couple yards to my right….
This one was between me and the call, on my side of the creek. It looked as if a bird got into it and I did not find tracks or scat of any kind.
On the other bank I noticed a couple carcasses that had been eaten on.
This one was flattened. Even the remains of the upper and lower jaw were smashed flat almost as if something heavy sat on it.
I flopped the one carcass across the creek and piled it with the remains of two others and set a trail cam up next to them. This photo is from the other side of the creek.
Even though there were some bobcat tracks there a week ago (I have also seen them there in the past) I really don’t know what it eating the fish. Could be bears, skunks, coons, or mink. Hopefully I will get some pics and I will know for sure.
