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Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: UrbanTrapper on January 29, 2016, 11:26:44 AM

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Title: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
Post by: UrbanTrapper 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)

Title: Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
Post by: SunnySlopes 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!

Title: Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
Post by: Linkslice on January 29, 2016, 03:25:31 PM

Quote from: SunnySlopes on January 29, 2016, 12:27:55 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!

Title: Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
Post by: UrbanTrapper 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. 

Title: Re: Scat and Sign Identification Questions
Post by: Trapper John 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: