Bobcats in the Pines- maybe evidence

[BarryC]

I believe I have a news article somewhere about Bobcats here in the Pines.
Well today when Keith and I walked to that huge Pitch Pine near Nash's Cabin, Keith noticed something strange about a small White Pine a few feet away from the big Pitch Pine. Down low, the tree trunk was all scratched up, down to the wood underneath of the bark. I mean really scratched up. It was done by something with sharp claws. When I was kneeling down as low as I can go, it was at eye level. So figure about 2½ feet above ground level. And the scratched area covered about a foot of the tree trunk, vertically. And the tree was about 8 or 10 inches in diameter. I figure a cat could have done it, but it would have to be something bigger than a large house cat, like maybe a Bobcat. I took a picture for posting later.

 

[Teegate]

It may have been a Beaver. They eat the bark and have sharp claws to hold on.

Guy

 

[BarryC]

Beaver? Well maybe. But there were only scratches and they were all up and down. This thing shredded one side of the tree trunk. And no attempt was made to cut it down like beavers do. It was pretty weird. And it was pretty far away from the water.

It may have been a Beaver. They eat the bark and have sharp claws to hold on.

Guy

 

[bach2yoga]

Any tracks nearby?

 

[BarryC]

I didn't see any, but there's an awful lot of vegetation where those trees are. This is where that huge Pine is that I showed you. And I didn't take notice of any tracks in the road. I could have looked if I had thought about it.

Any tracks nearby?

 

[foofoo]

have seen ground hogs climbing trees like that. funniest thing youve ever seen. and i thought they were only grass hill climbers on the parkway.

 

[manumuskin]

I have to tell this story.
about 10 years ago I was on lunch break at work and was sitting in the woods next to the plant on the ground leaned up next to a tree reading a book and chewing a samich with my lunch bucket next to my leg when I feels something push against my leg trying to get to my bucket.when turned my head to look it was a full grown groundhog trying to push my leg outta the way.when he seen me move he lit out like a bat outta hell and ran 20 ft up a sassafras tree and sat on a limb.I woulda never believed they could climb if i hadn"t seen it.I went home a read up on em and there it was.most don"t climb but some seem to be addicted to it.their were holes all over those woods and adjoining field but he saw fit to go up a tree.
Al

 

[BEHR655]

Well how about these. Kendawg found them on Clay Mine Rd at Union Clay Works.

 

[sschliv]

Don't think a cat could do those. I could be wrong but I thought their claws were not extended while they walked.?

 

[manumuskin]

The big ones are either a coyote or a dog.perhaps kendawg?and the small ones could be a dog or a fox.I"d need to see the track patterns to tell.if they register like a cat but look like a dog then it"s a fox.fox walk like cats in that the hind track falls directly in the rear track and look like a single line of tracks,almost like a two legged critter instead of four.
Al

 

[Teegate]

I just did a search on the web and downloaded a few pdf files that show photo's or drawings of animal tracks, and the first photo comes closest to a domestic dog. The coyote has a different look to it but is similar. My now educated guess is a dog.

Guy