Today I was working in my yard and discovered that a critter had wandered into my yard overnight. The critter left a "calling card", but I'm sort of wondering what KIND of critter left it. Possibilities are:
1. Coyote (most likely)
2. Bear (I hope not, scat probably too small)
3. Mountain Lion (see comments for #2)
4. Feral cat (scat might be too small)
5. Feral dog (never seen one around here)
6. Possum (scat too small-maybe)
7. Raccoon (they're around, never seen one near the house)
8. Deer

I'm leaning towards the coyote. The lack of fur in the scat is strange though, considering that we have a good supply of mice, moles & rabbits around.
There have been bears as close as 5 miles away, but none spotted around here.
A Mountain Lion would be VERY unusual here.
Might be a large coon.
The "nuts" in the scat are about the size of small peanuts. The only natural occuring seeds like that in the area are maple seeds.

Scat picture is here: SCAT

Looks like a fox to me.

I'd second the fox guess.

Edit: Raccoon. Google raccoon scat and you get a virtually identical picture.

The only way to be sure is to taste it :-)

Good thing you did not step in it!

Yep, raccoon.

'coon, definitely 'coon

Coon with a second guess of possum

coon....it's cherry eating season

quote:

Originally posted by calugo:
The only way to be sure is to taste it :-)

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

If you look close you may well find similar piles under larger trees close to the trunk

Racoons will climb up to a forked branch & take a nap....and leave a token of their appreciation
We had a trapper take 7 of them from our wood shed a couple years back

gabby old guy but knew his stuff

Do you or neighbors have cherry trees close?

There are no cherry trees close that I know of. Most of the area is small acreages of about 5 acres with people owning a few horses (I have an acre in a "rural cluster subdivision" of 7 homes). I suppose there COULD be a cherry tree hidden in an acreage nearby. My little patches of strawberries & blueberries hven't been molested, nor has my compost bin (with food scraps within) been raided.
I know there are coons in the area, I just haven't seen any traces around here until now.

Feral hobo.

Considering that you are a SigForumite--- could it possibly be the dreaded Honey Badger??

Homeless person from Portland?

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Huffman:
Looks like a fox to me.

You got some strange looking foxes in your area.

See if Animal Mother has any interest in those peanuts...

Scat from the same animal can look different depending on what it has been eating. Coon scat from around where I live looks a lot different than that and it is longer rather than clumpy.

Getcha a game camera in case they come back.

Social Justice Warrior.... Better watch out!