What puts mud on trees?

[stuckmotor]

A couple of weeks back, I was in the woods, up to 70 feet from the pasture and found spots of of red clay on a variety tree species. (All of the numbers that follow are approximate.] The spots were between 8 and 18 inches long and reached up to 30 inches high. They usually began a foot off the ground though some were on the horizontal roots that were exposed. There's clay a few inches down all over the area but none was showing and I don't know where whatever put it on the trees got it. My list of likely suspects includes armadillos, skunks, deer, wild hogs. and slugs (a slug was near the middle of one of the spots). There were approximately 10 spots and only one indistinguishable mark on the ground that might have been a track. It was kind of round and maybe two inches across.

Photos are below with my boot for size comparison. The last photo is the possible track

 

[oosik]

Don't think just - who - would "mud" a tree. Also think - why - would something mud a tree.

I will follow this thread. BTW - good pics and comparisons.

Bottom line - I do not have a clue.

 

[oosik]

I wonder. Does one of you "suspect animals" get muddy enough to leave a mark on a tree when it rubs?? The only animals that I know who "work with mud" - - beavers and muskrats.

 

[Thomas]

Looks like wildlife rub...bear,pig etc. any other signs around.

 

[Dftodd]

Looks like wildlife rub...bear,pig etc. any other signs around.

I was thinking a hog needing a back scratch.

 

[stuckmotor]

I wonder. Does one of you "suspect animals" get muddy enough to leave a mark on a tree when it rubs?? The only animals that I know who "work with mud" - - beavers and muskrats.

We occasionally.have beavers and muskrats on the farm but I've never seen beaver chews even half as far from the creek as those trees were. It could have been a muskrat. I saw a dead one a long way from the creek over 50 years ago and still don't know why it was so far from water.

 

[stuckmotor]

Don't think just - who - would "mud" a tree. Also think - why - would something mud a tree.

I will follow this thread. BTW - good pics and comparisons.

Bottom line - I do not have a clue.

Thanks for the kind words, oosik

 

[stuckmotor]

Looks like wildlife rub...bear,pig etc. any other signs around.

I didn't see any.

 

[dodge man]

It’s probably a rare phenomenon, this could end up like the pallet thread.

 

[MossRoad]

I'd guess hogs. Look closely in the mud spots. Do you find any hairs?