Unknown critter tracks

[Tartan Hiker]

Well, I knew back on Feb 17!


Seriously...if you've got that kind of action so close to the house, you'd get a real kick out of capturing it with a trail cam. Be certain that you don't have any two-legged critters creeping about, or it will go missing in short order, especially if you leave it on flash mode. A trespasser that gets himself flash-photographed knows the camera is there and has very little choice except to take the camera to conceal his identity. When I use mine where people are expected (such as to monitor trail use in the wilderness area I manage in the summers) I cut the flash unit off, add camo paint, and conceal the camera very carefully under a pile of branches or inside a rotten log with only the lens and sensors exposed. The only camera I ever lost was one that was set to flash in an area where I didn't expect human interlopers. I was wrong.

[BruceK]

Well, I knew back on Feb 17!

Yes, you did. It was still nice to get the identification confirmed locally, though. It seems the cats are roaming further north than they have in the past. I suspect some neighbor's pets may go missing if they continue to let them roam... <sigh>

ANd thanks for the suggestions about the flash on the trail cam. I was thinking about trying to find a cam that captured infrared so that a flash wouldn't be required. I don't want to blind the critters when they come by and you have a very good point about the cam possibly going missing. Since we live in a development I suspect that would happen fairly quickly.

[Tartan Hiker]

There are some cameras that have heavy metal cases and will lock to a tree with thick cables, but that's probably a bit over the top for your needs.

And bobcats will indeed take pets. A friend of a friend lost his dog to one this past weekend. The dog was a medium-sized (40 lb.) beagle mix, and the culprit was unquestionably a bobcat in this instance. They have been known to take deer (not fawns!).

But don't worry...bobcats are quite secretive and are very good about avoiding humans. You'd be much more likely to get choked on your sporran strap than to be attacked by a bobcat.

[RockyMount'sClanBrown]

I vote cat track of a sort. Looking at the size, probably a bobcat. Too round for a dog but, looks too small for a big cat like a cougar. Tie out your neighbors poodle to a tree and put a motion sensitive trail camera on it. You should find out in short order.

[Riverkilt]

Living in coyote country (aren't we all?) its both sad and humorous when pet owners write our little paper wondering who could be so cruel and to steal a cute little puppy from their yard...or plaster the neighborhood with lost puppy flyers....when the hapless pet, the owner left out at night, is already reconstituted into fertilizer for the abundent sage around town.

Once drove to the post office to post some bills at 11PM and there between the drive up mailboxes was a coyote sitting back on his haunches looking up at me as if I might feed him as I drove by.

Ron

[BoldHighlander]

Living in coyote country (aren't we all?) its both sad and humorous when pet owners write our little paper wondering who could be so cruel and to steal a cute little puppy from their yard...or plaster the neighborhood with lost puppy flyers....when the hapless pet, the owner left out at night, is already reconstituted into fertilizer for the abundent sage around town.

Once drove to the post office to post some bills at 11PM and there between the drive up mailboxes was a coyote sitting back on his haunches looking up at me as if I might feed him as I drove by.

Ron

For an urban area like Bellingham, I'm always amazed at all the wildlife that comes into town. Of course we're bordered by forest & mountains, and have abundant green spaces all thru town, so little wonder really.
Deer have become so regular as to be traffic hazards (my wife reported two in our alley early this morning, they wouldn't let her pass!). Coyotes are frequent, as is the odd moose, and once in a great while a bear. Of course 'coons, possum, & skunks are so common as to be pests

As I mentioned before, rogue cougars have been frequently sighted around town, sometimes within. We have a large green area (Sehome Hill) behind the Western Washington college, surrounded by homes etc, and a couple years ago we had a cougar take up residence there. He was cleaning up the surrounding neighborhood of their cats & dogs!

Nearby Lake Padden on the out skirts of town cougars are seen from time to time. Two ladies once had one aggressively confront them on the trail. A walking staff one was carrying saved them from serious injury, but I'm told it was a near thing for a frightening few minutes. That's why when my daughter's grade school class has a field trip at the lake I go with them, not to watch the kids (plenty of help for that) but to keep an eye on the brush & woods.

[Tartan Hiker]

RockyMount,

Welcome to X-Marks from just west of you in the Highlands of NC. There will be a gang of us at the Loch Norman games...plan on a get together there. And don't forget to post a greeting in the Newbie forum. The NC contingent is growing almost daily and we want everyone else to know about it!


And by the way...

I vote cat track of a sort. Looking at the size, probably a bobcat. Too round for a dog but, looks too small for a big cat like a cougar. Tie out your neighbors poodle to a tree and put a motion sensitive trail camera on it. You should find out in short order.

The election's over, mate. Your candidate already won.

[Monkey@Arms]

The Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess took a look over my shoulder and says it some type of cat.

Cheers

Jamie

So it was a bobcat, hmm, odd. I would have suggested the Questing Beast.

Best regards,

Jake

[RockyMount'sClanBrown]

Tartan Hiker,

From the town Highlands? I just met Jarret Calloway from Highlands, NC a couple of weeks ago.

I am really looking forward to the games. As we get closer, it sounds like people from the forum will be organizing to gather at the events. Meeting the members sounds like a lot of fun.

Looks like our group will be 15 to 20 at the Loch Norman and closer to 40 at the GF Mountain. I am trying to get them to start posting and participating in the discussions here. I sent them a link and my uncle said last night that he was shocked to see such a quick response to my posting.

Yeah, bobcat. Yeah. I just like being right.

[BoldHighlander]

So it was a bobcat, hmm, odd. I would have suggested the Questing Beast.

Best regards,

Jake

Naw, the track was all wrong.
Looks more like the Beast of Gévaudan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan