# What critter made these tracks?



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

I found these tracks today and have never seen anything like them before. I know the pictures aren't very clear, but I'm hoping someone recognizes them. Please notice that there is a set of marks that goes from side to side (maybe a tail?) with what looks like an occasional belly drag.

I saw from afar what appeared to be a mink a couple of weeks ago, but the tracks I saw on-line didn't have the side to side marks that these do.

We are in north-central Ohio and are fairly rural in case that makes any difference. Thanks for any help you can give.


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## Minimomma (Jan 5, 2008)

An alligator that is VERY lost?


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Yeah...that's what I was thinkin'!


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

those tracks have suffered a bit but i have to say deer .

traveling in your direction from top pic and in the bottom the third print up (counting the partial at the very bottom) looks much like a good print.

deer sometimes drag a leg or two. Im going to say rear left is the one leaving the drag.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Very hard to tell from the pics but do you have any beaver in the area?


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

||Downhome|| said:


> those tracks have suffered a bit but i have to say deer .
> 
> traveling in your direction from top pic and in the bottom the third print up (counting the partial at the very bottom) looks much like a good print.
> 
> deer sometimes drag a leg or two. Im going to say rear left is the one leaving the drag.


It does look like that from the picture, but it's way smaller than a deer. I followed the tracks a while ago and whatever it is has been burrowing down under one of my big compost piles. There is a hole about 6 inches across where it went in. There are also lots of tracks where it went out the other side of the pile, messed around at the base of a tree, and then went walking around through the woods a bit. I haven't found any really good clear prints yet. We are supposed to get a good bit of snow today, so maybe there will be some fresh prints tomorrow.

To answer ksfarmer...we do have a nice creek , but there aren't any ponds very close. I haven't seen any signs of beavers, but I suppose that doesn't mean there aren't any.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

porcupines and beaver both leave a tail drag mark.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I saw from afar what appeared to be *a mink *


How deep is the snow?

It could be a belly drag on a mink, or even the tail


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

ksfarmer said:


> porcupines and beaver both leave a tail drag mark.


Hmmm...I've never known of anyone around here to have seen a porcupine, but I looked at some tracks on-line and there were a couple of pictures that were very similar. Also, for the almost three years that we've lived here, I have been curious about some sort of den that is at the base of a tree in the row of trees between our field and the next field over. It's like nothing I've ever soon before. Perhaps that's a porcupine den? The tracks I saw were within 50 feet of that den, but didn't go to it. Now I'm on a mission to see if that's what it is!

Maybe I'll take a picture of the den when the snow melts and see if any of you fine folks can identify it for me.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> How deep is the snow?
> 
> It could be a belly drag on a mink, or even the tail


The snow is only about an inch or so in the pictures.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> some sort of *den that is at the base of a tree *


Maybe it was a fox dragging a rabbit


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Maybe it was a fox dragging a rabbit


Oh, now there's an idea too! I have seen foxes around and there were bunny tracks all over that area. I like that idea. As long as the foxes don't bother my chickens and concentrate on rabbits and squirrels, I'm happy for them to be here.

I should have taken a picture yesterday. I was walking beside our pasture when I noticed some tracks that came out of a hole, went about 15 feet, and then stopped. Upon further investigation, I could see very light wing marks in the snow. So, I'm assuming that an owl swooped down and got some sort of yummy vermin during the night. Cool!


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

I'll say deer being theres a few drag marks on the left to, not quite lifting their feet above the snow as they walk.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

In the bottom picture, does the trail make "U" turn, or is that all just the width of the track.

The width between the tracks (side to side) is a good indicator of body size

It's hard for me to get a sense of the scale


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

Probably not a fox. I tried tracking one in the snow one time. They can traved 30 miles and never get out of an acre yard.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> In the bottom picture, does the trail make "U" turn, or is that all just the width of the track.
> 
> The width between the tracks (side to side) is a good indicator of body size
> 
> It's hard for me to get a sense of the scale


No, those are deer tracks on the left side. The total width of the track is probably only 5 inches including the drag marks. The paw prints are less then 2 inches across.


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> I'll say deer being theres a few drag marks on the left to, not quite lifting their feet above the snow as they walk.


Nope (see post #6), it's something that has paws and has been under one of my big compost piles.

I could see paw prints, but not well enough to be able to identify them by looking at pictures on-line.

I'm so stinkin' curious!


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## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

Opossum.


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## OH Boy (Dec 22, 2010)

Might be an Otter


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I'd say Otter too. Seen one moving through the snow a couple of years ago and those tracks look familiar.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Has it actually tunneled into the compost pile? If so I'm gonna guess woodchuck.


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## Ryan NC (Jan 29, 2009)

the tracks are not clear enough to be usable other than to rule out a few critters... If near water I'd guess it's an otter or a young beaver, if more than say 1/4 mile from water I'd say opossum though it doesn't really have the normal random fashion of a opossum walking about. The marks in the snow appear to be tail drags which narrows the suspect list greatly.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

not a deer. not sure what smaller creature but know its NOT a deer.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

Chupacabra !


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## Ryan NC (Jan 29, 2009)

Esteban29304 said:


> Chupacabra !


That's gotta be it!!!!! Explains why we couldn't recognize the tracks! lol


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

rabbit.


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## braggscowboy (Jan 6, 2004)

Maybe a groundhog. They like to burrow. Do you have any in your area? If not, I go with the deer theory!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

mammabooh said:


> Nope (see post #6), it's something that has paws and has been under one of my big compost piles.


Most suggestions so far are either nothing which would live under a compost pile or be out in the winter. Groundhogs could be under a pile but would be hibernating. Also, not many animals have wide low bellies which would leave sweeps on the side. Badgers will!

Martin


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Paquebot said:


> Most suggestions so far are either nothing which would live under a compost pile or be out in the winter. Groundhogs could be under a pile but would be hibernating. Also, not many animals have wide low bellies which would leave sweeps on the side. Badgers will!
> 
> Martin


I don't think we have badgers around here, but I agree with everything else you said.


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Have another look at the tracks today where they are going and coming,you may can find a more pronounced and clearer track that will spill the beans on this varmint.


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## Madsaw (Feb 26, 2008)

Was the drag marks present on the other side of the compost pile also? You can rule out badger and possum due to now claw marks. Also possum tracks are real close together and toes in. Do not look like **** tracks in the snow either. No large hind foot track can be seen. Also rules out a beaver too. Does not leave much other then a fox carrling a rabbit. Notice drag marks are not consitant along all teh track.
Bob


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## Ray (Dec 5, 2002)

take a look at the link below, I'm certain it's just changing homes, this happens when they sense changes in their environment and feel dangerous changes in their homes. take a look, ray

http://whatworldnews.com/fish-can-walk-the-land.html


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## brownegg (Jan 5, 2006)

I second opossum...they leave a tail mark


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