Scat (animal poop) question/identification

[Code54]

Went on a run today and found this in the driveway.

Was a bit over 6-7" long, warm and still very moist (it was about 80ish degrees out so must have just been "dropped")

Had hair in it - later photos I pulled it all apart with a stick.

We are in southern WV, and live a good bit off the beaten path.

Now the question - what left me this little present????

 

[oosik]

No takers yet - huh. Well - the one problem on ID - the "shape" is little help. It obviously from a carnivore or omnivore. So the most likely candidates - coyote or raccoon. However - it might be bear or even wolf or badger. It's just real hard to tell.

The color & the hair tell us it's from an animal that ate something with blood. Black usually = blood. The hundreds of coyote droppings I've seen around my place are always well defined - like a large cigar and usually black. Raccoon is the same shape, smaller, but can be most any color and seldom has hair mixed in.

The coyotes around here mark their presence almost daily with droppings in my driveway - right where it dumps out onto the yard grass. Right in the center of the driveway and very obvious.

 

[Wagtail]

Along with oosik's observations (carnivore/omnivore), the size/amount of the dropping suggests a bear of 'local' description.

Yes, I've seen bear scat before during a visit to Canada... I was taken to the local 'zoo' (the town's tip/garbage dump) to observe. I even took a picture of a great bear 'dump', had it framed (in the tackiest frame that I could find) as a present to a mate back here in Aus. [Best present ever, he said]

That bear scat had a scrunched up metal champagne-cork 'cage' in it! :thumbsup:

 

[wngsprd]

I'd say black bear. Their scat varies by season and by diet, but that pile fits the profile.

 

[jjp8182]

I'd agree with black bear given the difference in consistency ...particularly after reading: Black Bear Scat

...from looking at that site the round ball shapes could also imply mountain lion/cougar, but if that was the case I'd say it's one that probably ate something it shouldn't have.

So I'm more incline to go with my initial thoughts of it having come from a black bear based on the size, shape, colors and overall consistency.

 

[Code54]

Thanks everyone. We do have both coyotes and black bear around here. I was leaning toward a black bear but didn't want to say that and have the power of suggestion take over.

We do have coyotes that sometime leave us little presents but it was always smaller, defined, and basically looked like a furry dog turd. This was much larger and undefined, but not filled with blackberries or other berries in it like I would have expected this time of the year??? I did find some piles of scat right up the road from this pile a few weeks ago but they appeared to be coyotes due to it being small and defined with a LOT of hair in it. It looks like our driveway is a crossing for all the local animals so I need to get the deer cam out and place it in that area and who will pose for a picture

For some odd reason I like trying to figure this kind of stuff out and then getting the animal on film. Maybe when I retire from my current job I should look for one of those finding Bigfoot jobs- think it pays well?????

 

[atsah]

Black bear..

 

[Code54]

Along with oosik's observations (carnivore/omnivore), the size/amount of the dropping suggests a bear of 'local' description.

Yes, I've seen bear scat before during a visit to Canada... I was taken to the local 'zoo' (the town's tip/garbage dump) to observe. I even took a picture of a great bear 'dump', had it framed (in the tackiest frame that I could find) as a present to a mate back here in Aus. [Best present ever, he said]

That bear scat had a scrunched up metal champagne-cork 'cage' in it! :thumbsup:

HA - that's funny!

 

[Code54]

It sounds like "Bear" is the final answer. I will deploy a trail cam this week and if I get a photo I'll be sure to post it.
THANK YOU to everyone

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm no bear expert, but I grew up hunting Northern California where there are a lot of black bears, and I never seen bear poop that didn't contain seeds or berries in it. I've also never seen bear poop that was this runny, or soft. I don't think it was a bear. This looks more like something a canine or cat would do, and if I was guessing, I'm leaning towards a large cat. The size of it means lion, but I don't think there are any in Virginia. I don't think a bobcat or coyote could produce something of that size, but maybe. I have a lot of coyotes where I live, quite a few bobcats and my neighbor shot a lion on his place about ten years ago. If you don't have mountain lions, what about a large dog that has gone wild and isn't eating too healthy?

 

[Code54]

Well the WV DNR "claims" we do not have mountain lions around here BUT I have seen trail cam photos of them from less than 100 miles north so I would not rule them out as living in the area. Cant say I have noticed any feral dogs running around but that is not to say there can not be one. I did notice we don't really have many wild berries around the woods this year so maybe that accounts for the lack of berries in the scat????

 

[teejk]

The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter. They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away. It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat. Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

 

[Code54]

Always thought you rang a bell to announce it was dinner time......

 

[bullbreaker]

I think black bear , definitely not my X mother in laws , hers was larger and with more hair ! :laughing:

 

[JerryK]

If it tastes salty, it could be from a Porcupine. [ I am sure bear scat changes over the year depending on their food source and health. Just like yours does day to day. The bear scat I run into was fairly dry, large, and in a big spiral. Had hair and some bones in it, probably from scavenging road kill next to the road in the Spring. ] Let me know about the salty thing.......

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Montana Grizzly Bear Notice:

In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear
conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game
is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra
precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field.
We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on
their clothing so as not to startle the bears that aren't
expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry
pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a
bear.

It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear
activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference
between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop
is smaller and contains a lot of berry seeds and squirrel fur.
Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper
spray.

 

[Code54]

If it tastes salty, it could be from a Porcupine. [ I am sure bear scat changes over the year depending on their food source and health. Just like yours does day to day. The bear scat I run into was fairly dry, large, and in a big spiral. Had hair and some bones in it, probably from scavenging road kill next to the road in the Spring. ] Let me know about the salty thing.......

Lol - I will check and see if one of the neighbors will check on that for you....

 

[MossRoad]

We have a lot of coyotes around here. Almost all of their poop looks like others have said... cigar shaped and usually has fur in it. Seems they like to poop on asphalt walking trails in the local parks. :laughing:

Raccoons are usually black with berries and seeds and smaller than the coyote poop.

Not having bears around here, can't help you there. There was the first bear sighted in Indiana in over 100 years a couple years ago. It made its way down from Michigan, spent the summer tearing open bird feeders and trash cans, went back up to Michigan, and the DNR trapped it and euthanized it due to its non-fear of humans.

 

[MossRoad]

Lol - I will check and see if one of the neighbors will check on that for you....

Reminds me of that old Cheech and Chong skit.... good thing you didn't step in it.

 

[goeduck]

This is black bear scat from my property out here on the coast. Not as runny looking as yours but the size looks similar. Black bears will eat carrion, so it probably found a dead deer or something.