So, Whose is this?

The purpose of this forum is to help people identify things they've seen while out hiking: wildflowers, trees, birds, insects, small animals, animal tracks, even geographical features like buttes or streams
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K.Wagner
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So, Whose is this?

Post by K.Wagner » September 11th, 2017, 4:01 pm

This last Saturday, I walked one of the closed roads to the east of the 99 Road (Mt St Helens), starting at the new Cascade Peaks Visitor's Center (which I have only seen manned once since it was built). I managed to bag two fun summits on the ridge, in spite of it being opening day of the archery elk season.

On the walk out, I happened onto this little specimen:
12-Whose #1-S.jpg
And I thought to myself ..... I have seen a few of these before. Obviously not cat, because it is all plant fiber (and besides, that would be one big kitty cat!). Hmmm, must be a constipated bear.....
Then I came onto another specimen, this time seen with my trekking pole for scale:
13-Whose #2-S.jpg
Then, as I walked on, I began to ponder said specimen ----- "but this doesn't look like my concept of bear scat......"
Then I came across this specimen:
22-Whose #4-S.jpg
And I think: "Now that is from a constipated bear!"

So I am open any & all opinions. Mine is leaning towards either (Shhhhhhhhhh) Madame or Mssr Sasquatch.
Kelly
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kepPNW
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by kepPNW » September 11th, 2017, 4:11 pm

Dunno about the first two, but the last I'd guess elk.
Karl
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retired jerry
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by retired jerry » September 11th, 2017, 4:14 pm

bear? especially if there were a lot of berries in it

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K.Wagner
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by K.Wagner » September 11th, 2017, 4:57 pm

That's just it. There was no sign of berries at all. I saw some other piles around that had the typical purple color.

The last one was not elk. I have never seen anything out of an elk except large pellets (and I saw lots of those on this trip!)
Kelly
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kepPNW
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by kepPNW » September 11th, 2017, 5:16 pm

K.Wagner wrote:The last one was not elk. I have never seen anything out of an elk except large pellets (and I saw lots of those on this trip!)
Those are pellets, all bunched up into a big wad. Upset tummy.
Karl
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Bosterson
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by Bosterson » September 11th, 2017, 7:28 pm

kepPNW wrote:Dunno about the first two, but the last I'd guess elk.
That'd be a goat. :)
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Chase
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by Chase » September 11th, 2017, 7:55 pm

The ol' wipe-some-poo-on-your-trekking-pole-grips-before-lending-them-to-another trick. Classic.

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kepPNW
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by kepPNW » September 12th, 2017, 6:06 am

Bosterson wrote:
kepPNW wrote:Dunno about the first two, but the last I'd guess elk.
That'd be a goat. :)
Yeah, that sounds very plausible, too.
Karl
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K.Wagner
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by K.Wagner » September 12th, 2017, 11:24 am

The ol' wipe-some-poo-on-your-trekking-pole-grips-before-lending-them-to-another trick. Classic.
Believe me it was DRY! Just got it close so that there was no question about the scale! :P

I might go with the constipated elk on the last one, but the size! It is sort of what it looks like when you gut one, though.
That'd be a goat.
Which one are you saying came from a goat? The only thing I associate with goats are little tiny pellets, scattered all over the place.
Kelly
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Bosterson
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Re: So, Whose is this?

Post by Bosterson » September 12th, 2017, 5:50 pm

K.Wagner wrote:Image
This one is the goat. They do leave little pellets, but they also can do these larger clumps that are sort of like little flattened bits pressed together; sometimes they break apart into their individual pieces. I could be wrong - I've never actually watched a goat produce one, so maybe it's elk - but I find them frequently in areas traveled by goats, near nests and bits of goat fur, where the area smells "goaty" (something you encounter frequently in the Mt Margaret backcountry, Alpine Lakes, etc).

The state of Alaska has this for their mountain goat poop image:

Image

If I were to guess, I'd say your other picture is a bear on a high fiber diet...
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