Large Predator Scat ID - North Fork Nehalem - Tillamook Forest
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: March 31st, 2017, 1:07 pm
Large Predator Scat ID - North Fork Nehalem - Tillamook Forest
Happened across a pretty large pile of something with hair in it while hiking down North Fork Rd along the North Fork Nehalem River off Hwy 53 in the Tillamook State Forest. Date was 8/29/21. Sunglasses for reference are roughly 5.75" across. Total length of material, including broken top piece is roughly 7"-8". I had posted to another message board and received suggestions of bear scat, cougar scat and owl pellet. The girth is what caught my eye... I'd never seen a (tubular) dropping of that size. Located out in the open, in the middle of the gated logging road I was hiking down. There were ripe blackberries all along the trail, and I noticed what I assumed to be other bear droppings full of berries, though this could have been from before they had ripened (if it's bear)... it looks like it's been there awhile. Any ideas?
- Waffle Stomper
- Posts: 3707
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Large Predator Scat ID - North Fork Nehalem - Tillamook Forest
I'm ruling out owl pellet because of the size and lack of small bone fragments, at least as far as I can see in the photo.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Re: Large Predator Scat ID - North Fork Nehalem - Tillamook Forest
I'd also rule out bear, since bears are 80+% vegetarian and this is the scat of a pure carnivore. Cougar, most likely.
Re: Large Predator Scat ID - North Fork Nehalem - Tillamook Forest
The tapered tip is indicative of cougar. Apparently cougar leave their scat as calling cards for other cougars. Out in the open where they are likely to be recognized as a part of a land claim. Or so I heard and observed during a class on tracking.