Need help identifying animal

nagaroo · 10-02-2007, 10:58 AM

I was wondering if anyone can help me with identifying the animal that left feces in my driveway last night. I have a large dog that we let out at night to do his night thing and I want to make sure that what ever left this behind won't harm him. The feces is black, tubular, one end flat, the other pointed, has a lot of light colored seeds, not as large as a big dog or as small as a cat. There is a lot of it and it wasn't covered. I tried looking it up on MSN but I couldn't figure it out. I hope there is a hunter out there that knows what left this. Thanks for any help you can give me. I hope this question won't offend anyone.

gravy boat · 10-02-2007, 11:45 AM

Nagaroo,

We found this same thing in our driveway early last week. Very dark, 3-4 inches, lots of seeds. While letting the dog out to do her business at night he saw what he believes was a fisher running from the bottom of our driveway to the woods across the street. We know we have fishers in the area, having caught one in a Have a Heart Trap a few years ago. It certainly wasn't a large wild mammal, nor was it a domestic. Too small for racoon, and too large for owl or bird.

I checked online and the scat descriptions for fishers fit what we found.

Hope this helps.
Gravy

Rattlesnake Gal · 10-02-2007, 01:06 PM

I think your pretty little kitty is more of a target!

Fisher Possible Conflicts:
Prey on porcupine; may take domestic cats; rarely seen; live in woods

What Animal Is It?

I cannot believe I just posted Fisher dookie!

I did see moose scat this summer on our island. Hope I get to see the maker! Or do I?

Spider Girl · 10-02-2007, 06:32 PM

Our cottage is about half way up on the Broads' side, and I saw a moose swim from Rattlesnake over to Wolfboro neck. It was early spring, a quiet, foggy Saturday morning. I couldn't believe my eyes ... thought it was a canoe in the distance. My neighbor and I got out the binoculars and realized that we were looking at a large set of antlers just above the lake surface. We watched its journey until we couldn't make it out any longer. We got concerned when a Baja came roaring up the open water, but it missed the moose (doubt it even saw him). So, when did you see moose scat? Does it mean he came back "home" after some shopping in Wolfboro?

Coolbreeze · 10-02-2007, 08:28 PM

Look in the areas surounding the depost for sources for the "seeds" in the stool. Does it look like birdfood or scavenged seeds like viburnum and blueberry. If you inspect the plants to see what their seeds look like, you can get an idea what the origin of the seed is in the poo. Generally speaking seed is not digested in animals. Look in the yard around the deposit, fresh mud, loose loam etc for footprints. Bears generally have round stool, kind of ballish, my guess is that you may have coyotes, fox or another small animal (obviously) around. Your safe bet is to make noise before you go out, keep the trash sealed, clean up the animal stool so domestic animals don't eat or roll in it, gross I know, but parasites may be in it. Contact a local game official or police if your delemma worsens. You also can purchase motion activated game cameras through cabellas if you really want to see what goes on your property while you sleep...they are really wild to have.

andyporter · 10-03-2007, 01:21 AM

It could be a dreaded SNIPE!

dpg · 10-03-2007, 05:33 AM

It isn't moose.

Rattlesnake Gal · 10-03-2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spider Girl

Our cottage is about half way up on the Broads' side, and I saw a moose swim from Rattlesnake over to Wolfboro neck. It was early spring, a quiet, foggy Saturday morning. I couldn't believe my eyes ... thought it was a canoe in the distance. My neighbor and I got out the binoculars and realized that we were looking at a large set of antlers just above the lake surface. We watched its journey until we couldn't make it out any longer. We got concerned when a Baja came roaring up the open water, but it missed the moose (doubt it even saw him). So, when did you see moose scat? Does it mean he came back "home" after some shopping in Wolfboro?

It was the beginning of August this year.
Seeing a moose in The Broads is a precious experience and one with antlers, wow! We caught this one back in 2003 just after we got to the island.

SIKSUKR · 10-03-2007, 10:04 AM

Don't want to hijack this thread but it already has been so let me say,please be very carefull on the roads right now.A freind of mine and Seaplane Pilot just hit a moose on 93 south exit 19 on Saturday night.Never saw him and he was 1000+ lbs with a big rack.Thankfully he's ok but the moose and his truck are toast.

Mr. V · 10-03-2007, 10:16 AM

It could be alligator scat.

Katie, bar the door.

dpg · 10-03-2007, 10:48 AM

Too bad, hate to see the animals go like that.

rander7823 · 10-03-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpg

Too bad, hate to see the animals go like that.

You know the highway crews go to a lot of trouble to put up those Moose X-ing signs you think they'd go there to cross

WINDinmySOCKIES · 10-03-2007, 05:58 PM

there's a book called scat and tracks of the northeast (I can not believe I own it, but it's actually quite interesting, especially while hiking)) but it sounds like you could be describing bear feces, they eat mostly grasses, seeds and berries... more so than proteins .....if you don't see any more of it , the animal was most likely just passing thru.

nagaroo · 10-03-2007, 06:32 PM

I took a another look and it appears that the seeds are grape seeds I can see the skins of grapes. do porcupines leave a scat like this? my neighbor told me she saw a porcupine in the yard just a few days before I found the scat. I guess in either case I will have to be very careful when letting the dog out. thank-you for all the ideas people have come up with.

dpg · 10-04-2007, 05:56 AM

Yes, does sound like Bear especially considering their diets. As stated before it's not Moose, they look like "Malted Milk Balls" for lack of a better description. I know, one time I was hunting and got real hungry, oh never mind!!

Coolbreeze · 10-04-2007, 06:58 AM

BLAAAA ! I just gaged

Weirs guy · 10-04-2007, 11:08 AM

Can we go back to arguing about taxes please?

steadyon · 10-06-2007, 10:23 AM

it's a skunk
lots of reports of the little pests this year.

SAMIAM · 10-06-2007, 12:41 PM

If animal scat has seeds in it.....don't worry. If it has bones in it.......worry.

10-02-2007, 10:58 AM	#1
nagaroo Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Need help identifying animal I was wondering if anyone can help me with identifying the animal that left feces in my driveway last night. I have a large dog that we let out at night to do his night thing and I want to make sure that what ever left this behind won't harm him. The feces is black, tubular, one end flat, the other pointed, has a lot of light colored seeds, not as large as a big dog or as small as a cat. There is a lot of it and it wasn't covered. I tried looking it up on MSN but I couldn't figure it out. I hope there is a hunter out there that knows what left this. Thanks for any help you can give me. I hope this question won't offend anyone.

10-02-2007, 11:45 AM	#2
gravy boat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Gilford year round, West Alton summers Posts: 589 Thanks: 596 Thanked 199 Times in 100 Posts	Scat Nagaroo, We found this same thing in our driveway early last week. Very dark, 3-4 inches, lots of seeds. While letting the dog out to do her business at night he saw what he believes was a fisher running from the bottom of our driveway to the woods across the street. We know we have fishers in the area, having caught one in a Have a Heart Trap a few years ago. It certainly wasn't a large wild mammal, nor was it a domestic. Too small for racoon, and too large for owl or bird. I checked online and the scat descriptions for fishers fit what we found. Hope this helps. Gravy

10-02-2007, 01:06 PM	#3
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,252 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,451 Thanked 1,349 Times in 475 Posts	Hide the Kitty! I think your pretty little kitty is more of a target! Fisher Possible Conflicts: Prey on porcupine; may take domestic cats; rarely seen; live in woods What Animal Is It? I cannot believe I just posted Fisher dookie! I did see moose scat this summer on our island. Hope I get to see the maker! Or do I?

10-02-2007, 06:32 PM	#4
Spider Girl Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NH Posts: 37 Thanks: 40 Thanked 11 Times in 3 Posts	Moose on Rattlesnake Our cottage is about half way up on the Broads' side, and I saw a moose swim from Rattlesnake over to Wolfboro neck. It was early spring, a quiet, foggy Saturday morning. I couldn't believe my eyes ... thought it was a canoe in the distance. My neighbor and I got out the binoculars and realized that we were looking at a large set of antlers just above the lake surface. We watched its journey until we couldn't make it out any longer. We got concerned when a Baja came roaring up the open water, but it missed the moose (doubt it even saw him). So, when did you see moose scat? Does it mean he came back "home" after some shopping in Wolfboro? __________________ Spider Girl

10-03-2007, 01:21 AM	#6
andyporter Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bear Island Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	scat It could be a dreaded SNIPE!

10-02-2007, 08:28 PM	#5
Coolbreeze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 332 Thanks: 0 Thanked 51 Times in 26 Posts	Look in the areas surounding the depost for sources for the "seeds" in the stool. Does it look like birdfood or scavenged seeds like viburnum and blueberry. If you inspect the plants to see what their seeds look like, you can get an idea what the origin of the seed is in the poo. Generally speaking seed is not digested in animals. Look in the yard around the deposit, fresh mud, loose loam etc for footprints. Bears generally have round stool, kind of ballish, my guess is that you may have coyotes, fox or another small animal (obviously) around. Your safe bet is to make noise before you go out, keep the trash sealed, clean up the animal stool so domestic animals don't eat or roll in it, gross I know, but parasites may be in it. Contact a local game official or police if your delemma worsens. You also can purchase motion activated game cameras through cabellas if you really want to see what goes on your property while you sleep...they are really wild to have.

10-03-2007, 05:33 AM	#7
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,591 Thanks: 150 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts	It isn't moose.

10-03-2007, 10:04 AM	#9
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Don't want to hijack this thread but it already has been so let me say,please be very carefull on the roads right now.A freind of mine and Seaplane Pilot just hit a moose on 93 south exit 19 on Saturday night.Never saw him and he was 1000+ lbs with a big rack.Thankfully he's ok but the moose and his truck are toast. __________________ SIKSUKR

10-03-2007, 10:16 AM	#10
Mr. V Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: the left coast (Portland)and West Alton Posts: 1,388 Thanks: 63 Thanked 253 Times in 172 Posts	It could be alligator scat. Katie, bar the door.

10-03-2007, 10:48 AM	#11
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,591 Thanks: 150 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts	Too bad, hate to see the animals go like that.

10-03-2007, 05:58 PM	#13
WINDinmySOCKIES Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hills Pond, Alton NH , Horsham, PA Posts: 40 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	there's a book called scat and tracks of the northeast (I can not believe I own it, but it's actually quite interesting, especially while hiking)) but it sounds like you could be describing bear feces, they eat mostly grasses, seeds and berries... more so than proteins .....if you don't see any more of it , the animal was most likely just passing thru.

10-03-2007, 06:32 PM	#14
nagaroo Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I took a another look and it appears that the seeds are grape seeds I can see the skins of grapes. do porcupines leave a scat like this? my neighbor told me she saw a porcupine in the yard just a few days before I found the scat. I guess in either case I will have to be very careful when letting the dog out. thank-you for all the ideas people have come up with.

10-04-2007, 05:56 AM	#15
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,591 Thanks: 150 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts	Yes, does sound like Bear especially considering their diets. As stated before it's not Moose, they look like "Malted Milk Balls" for lack of a better description. I know, one time I was hunting and got real hungry, oh never mind!!

10-04-2007, 06:58 AM	#16
Coolbreeze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 332 Thanks: 0 Thanked 51 Times in 26 Posts	BLAAAA ! I just gaged

10-04-2007, 11:08 AM	#17
Weirs guy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Weirs Beach, NH Posts: 1,067 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Can we go back to arguing about taxes please? __________________ Is it bikeweek yet? Now?

10-06-2007, 10:23 AM	#18
steadyon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Meredith Posts: 102 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	it's a skunk lots of reports of the little pests this year.

10-06-2007, 12:41 PM	#19
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	If animal scat has seeds in it.....don't worry. If it has bones in it.......worry.