I went for a walk today to look for some bunnies and try calling a coyote.
the bunny pop has been dropping steady for the last two years. the predator pop has been climbing. I did see some good rabbit runs but I believe that there were just a few around and the same ones are using the trails over and over making the sign deceiving. I set up a few times and hit the call with no response, not much surprise there as there must have been some function being held at the local gun range half mile away, it sounded like a war. I cut a few sets of predator tracks as I always do in this area. most of which were old and melted in. the weather has been above freezing for the last 4 days making tracks turn to dimples. then I came on to this set. they were fresh enough to get me pumped. sign trivia time
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I followed them for a good ways into the wind, he and im sure its a he paralleled the creek until he came to a ice crossing and then carried on up the creek on the opposite side. due to all the warm weather we have had the creek is quite dangerous. a bit further up I came on this sign. it was right on the edge of the creek with a heavy trail leading to the creek. the dark stuff is poop. trivia #2
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg211/jrchambers/DSCN0690.jpg) (http://s249.photobucket.com/user/jrchambers/media/DSCN0690.jpg.html)
(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg211/jrchambers/DSCN0689.jpg) (http://s249.photobucket.com/user/jrchambers/media/DSCN0689.jpg.html)
in my past trapping experience I know that once the creek freezes the animals use it like a highway. I brushed in a nice spot in the middle of a 180 bend in the creek in range of the poop spot. I will be back
Lynx me thinks
one more hint they are two separate species.
Big Marten?
Though I haven't any experience with them I wonder if the first track is the rear foot of a Wolverine.
Don't cats bury there business? I can't tell for sure with just one photo! I would say Wolverine by the shape........minus the claw marks, the scat looks consistent with members of the weasel family. I say it's the print of the hind foot of a Wolverine.
I think it's an otter track :saywhat:
By the way, I was righting my first response when Mcmiller posted! I think we're right Pete!
Otter, oh dam, blimmy, I think he's got it!
He did say heavy trail! Wouldn't Otter leave body and/or tail marks in the snow? I should have known by the webbing pattern in the track. Otter it is. If not Otter......Wolverine
He also said they were fresh enough to get him pumped, while predator hunting...otter tracks wouldn't get me pumped I guess
I should have taken a pick of the tracks a bit further back so you could see the pattern, they are very much in line and after several hundred yards not one belly slide.
as I said the tracks and poo are two different species although the two were in the same spot. there were more like 6 different poo spots right near each other some much older some newer. this is a regular pot spot for a social type critter.
Regular pot spot would sound like a cat, not sure what you mean by a social animal. Social with it's own kind?
yes social with its own kind, often seen in groups. one last hint. these photos were taken in the kenai flats. I was 10 miles from the nearest mountains, maybe further
I'd like to use a lifeline please. Lol
Otters and Wolverines have 5 toes, this looks like a lynx, but the pad is quite far back.
Got another picture??
The track resembles the rear pad of a snowshoe bunny also.
ChuckC
I'm gonna guess Sea Otter, based on the two species clue.
QuoteOriginally posted by dhermon85:
I'd like to use a lifeline please. Lol
Know that's funny, I don't care who you are! :laughing:
guspup........you trying to spoil my fun? :biglaugh:
ok sorry no other pics. but you all were on it right from the start. the track is a lynx one of four sets I found and a big one to boot. the poop is a otter landing, I wish I could get a better pic of it as it was tore up. both animal are fair game here. I wish I could say that it was a wolverine but I cant. but a big tom would be pretty cool to arrow. I have arrowed otters before and you better put em down otherwise you will need scuba gear and a ice auger to begin to look for them.
thanks for playing
very cool. I saw my first lynx track in NF this year. Would love to get to hunt them!!
That's cool. Don't have lynx in Kansas, but bobcats are around. I've seen that track before just not even close to as big.
guspup it does look like a rear rabbit but I think it is the angle that it is in the snow and may have made some imprint with its leg, the snow was quite rotten and the tracks were a few inches deep
Cool. On a trapping forum I frequent. I seen some of them skinned from the Alaskan trapline forum and there is not much to them after he hide is off. They look bigger but they are all fur. Lol
Yep' those Lynx can be a mean cat. We have lots of them here, too many as far as I'm concerned. The rabbit population is the lowest I've ever seen and the grouse aren't doing much better. You can't hunt them here, you have to be a trapper and even then your quota is next to nothing. They will take small deer as well. The otters are also on the increase and will make short work of any small trout ponds in the area. Our "Ministry of Natural Resources" have been WAAAAAY out to lunch with what really goes on in the woods :banghead: :dunno:
ill be putting some effort in this area. I have had some moderate success trapping here. wolves lynx and otter. but have spent more money and time than its worth. so why not try to just hunt em. Canadian would you use cat lure around a bow set up or maybe a flagger or ten?
idle your bunnies and grouse will be up quicker than they fell.