any scatologists on board?

[StevePrice2]

When I went shooting my new JBMR this morning I came across two different scat piles and wondered if any of you hunters could confirm the species?

The first one is full of mule deer fur but deer scat is pellets and I was thinking this may be coyote scat. The other I'm thinking is 9MM sheep scat. :rotf: Just kidding about the 9MM. That old brass was from some shooter. Any guesses?

I don't hunt much but am curious about what is roaming around where I was shooting this morning. Both piles were weeks old. We have sheep, muleys, coyotes, cougars, and other critters here.

thanks,
Steve

 

[roundball]

The one on the left is typical of a Coyote

 

[Birdman]

yepper the left is either yote or feral dog depending on the size, if its small then it could be fox but I'm thinkng yote and the right may be deer. I've seen deer scat wadded up like that several times, its not always loose like raisens.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

Steve,
Looks like the first one could be coyote. It would help to know the size of the scat. Coyotes are opportunistic animals; they have a varied diet. Their main food supply would be rodents, were there any small bones in the scat? If they fed on deer then they probably were scavenging.
Cougars feed mainly on deer. The scat will be larger than coyote but will be in scrapes.
The other scat I'm not sure about. Could be sheep.
BTW, you could call me a scatologist. My Senior research in college was the food habits of Canis latrans in Southern Oregon by analysis of its scat. Went all over Jackson County and collected coyote scat then washed and screened to see what they ate...
Scott

 

[biliff]

Went all over Jackson County and collected coyote scat then washed and screened to see what they ate...

There has GOT to be a joke in there somewhere...

 

[broknaero]

I'd call the one on the left a coyote or dog. The one on the right I cant tell. Maybe deer or sheep depending where you found it. You may need to describe its texture and taste to be sure. :haha: Could have been the guy shooting off that 9mm.

Both are old scat.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The best way to identify "scat" , particularly when its old, is to break it open, and look at the fur inside. The elongated piece is most likely canine- but the fur will tell you if its coyote or feral dog. The round scat can be any of a number of things. Until its broken open( or cut open with a knife) its a little hard to make a judgment based on this picture.

I agree that both scats are old. Inside the scat you should find hair, or fur, and some undigested foods. The foods will tell you what species is more likely involved, or at least eliminate other species.

Do not undervalue Negative evidence. It is possibly the best information you can gather from such " sign". Eliminating alternatives is the fastest way to narrow your search( ie., locate other similar scat, but newer, so you get more information from it.)Remember that certain foods are " seasonal", and that also gives you an idea of what animals may be around a given area at a given time of year. As you eliminated one alternative animal after another, you get down to finally seeing footprints around where the scat is found, and that helps to clinch the identification.

 

[AeroncaTAL]

No joke Bill, that's what I did... :grin:
Scott

 

[biliff]

No joke Bill, that's what I did...

Aw,come on, not even something like "Find any roadrunners in there?"

 

[longcruise]

The first one is full of mule deer fur but deer scat is pellets and I was thinking this may be coyote scat. The other I'm thinking is 9MM sheep scat.

On the left is surely canine. Fox, Yote or Wolf. Need a size reference to tell. Probably Yote. If Yote it would be about the size of 45-70 brass. 45-90 or 45-110 for a really big yote. :haha:

On the right looks like sheep of the domestic persuasion. Whatever it was he was pretty well armed.

 

[lonehunter]

Taste it :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: My vote is yote. :v

 

[StevePrice2]

You guys are all too funny! :grin:

Tell you what, when I go back I'll collect it and mail it to any of you who wants to roll it in flour and fry up a scat snack. :rotf:

The size was about what would come out of a 30-50 pound canine - my vote is Yote, too. Most likely a carcass scavenged muley meal. It was found at 4754 feet above sea level on the west side of utah lake near pelican point rock quarry. It was mostly fur, no visible bones of any sort.

Thanks for all the replies FUNNY :haha: and otherwise.

Sniff, bite, crunch, crunch.....hmmmm :hmm: .... :barf: Yep tastes like yote pooh.... :redface: :shake: :barf: :surrender:

 

[AeroncaTAL]

No joke Bill, that's what I did...

Aw,come on, not even something like "Find any roadrunners in there?"

No roadrunners, but did find some wool in one piece of scat...
Scott