Tracks and droppings are but a few of the signs that trappers look for to determine animal presence but what does the latter actually show us, except for the obvious?


I have some photos with text that I intend to post on here but would like to give some other trappers a chance to add to this.

Dropping of course, can show us what animals are feeding on at a certain time of year but what else do they teach us about WHERE they leave them ?

Anyone ?

Teritory??

I'd have to say territory, And common toilets (ie bobcats)

Edges of the territory.Nothing makes me happier than to see 15 piles of yote crap in a 1/4 mile stretch of road..A spot where 2 or 3 family groups territories overlap has to be one of the best locations there is.The response to gland lure and urine is awesome.I could be wrong but that is how I read the sign.I might be catching these yotes and not really know why.Same result dead yote.

So was I right?

I'm not sure about what all droppings can teach us, but if I find a spot were there are several piles I will set it hard.The way I look at it if it's a territory thing or not at least the yote feels comfortable there and come through the spot regularly.

But what about mink droppings? Do they only leave those to mark their territory? Or do they just go when they got to?
Thanks,
Tyler

to watch where we step>

Dropping also teach us what they are eating and what they ate last lets u know if their hhungry or not

That to me looked like a pile of black berries wiley left me a couple of months ago

Species of the animal who left it... During dry summer conditions it can be hard to impossible to find sign.. Dropping can be a good indicator of what species are using the area..

i agree with yoteguts all the way but teach us something LT

They tell us what animals are around, when they were there[ roughly], where their toilets are , and what they are eating.

I agree. I'm never 100% sure if that's the case when I find an area like that...but I've found a few that sure seem to produce, year after year. Makes sense.

Yep everone is interested in who peed where.lol Great spots.

I agree with london. If you know what the species droppings look like, you can tell what is in your area. The diet changes from season to season, so you have to know what you're looking at.

It teach's us who,what, when ,where ,and why.Territories and feeding stations.

The area an animal leaves a dropping or multiple droppings can teach us many things. As Paul said you have to know what animal left it behind to begin with before you can begin to gain more information from it.

The content of the droppings can teach us not only what the animal is eating buy how far it traveled from that food source. If there is a scat pile with wild grapes in it and the closest grape vine is 1/4 mile away that can tell you alot. If it is full of corn (and your not in corn country) it can also bring to light how far the animal is traveling to feed. Once this is figured out and the food source is diacovered then you can begin to figure a travel pattern and set along the traveled path, not just the toilet.

Droppings are, as most have stated above an area that might mark a territory boundary. Common toilets can also shed light onto how often an animal(s) are traveling through an area. A timeline in poop as I have told my son once before.

they show if the animal is excited or nervous or calm. they show territory, they show what it is feeding on. they show population in a given spot (family groups) or (overlapping territory.) just for a few