Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Is this Bear Poop?

  1. #1
    Voice in the Wilderness preachtheWORD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
    Posts
    360

    Default Is this Bear Poop?

    Does a bear poop in the woods?

    A better question is "Did a bear poop in the woods near my house?"

    I live in the Blue Rigde Mountains of Virginia, and we do have some Black Bear sightings now and then. I found some droppings yesterday that look mighty suspicious. I find plenty of Whitetail droppings, which are easily identified. There are also plenty of domestic animals around, like cats and dogs, and the rare coyote or mountain lion. But the droppings I found were not any of the above. There are some cattle within a mile or so of the site, but it is highly unlikely that a cow or any kind of farm animal would be so far back in these woods. Besides, it didn't look like any cow patty that I've seen - and I've seen plenty. So, I hope to get your "expert" opinion.

    This is the scat I found:
    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
    If the picture does not work for you, click on this link:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22624576@N03/3671768878/

    There were a couple more "piles" like it, but this was the best one. It looks fairly old to me.

    So, WSF, is it bear poop or not?

    Thanks!
    Preach It - Teach It - LIVE IT


  2. #2
    Senior Member erunkiswldrnssurvival's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Smoky Mountain National Park
    Posts
    1,651
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by preachtheWORD View Post
    Does a bear poop in the woods?

    A better question is "Did a bear poop in the woods near my house?"

    I live in the Blue Rigde Mountains of Virginia, and we do have some Black Bear sightings now and then. I found some droppings yesterday that look mighty suspicious. I find plenty of Whitetail droppings, which are easily identified. There are also plenty of domestic animals around, like cats and dogs, and the rare coyote or mountain lion. But the droppings I found were not any of the above. There are some cattle within a mile or so of the site, but it is highly unlikely that a cow or any kind of farm animal would be so far back in these woods. Besides, it didn't look like any cow patty that I've seen - and I've seen plenty. So, I hope to get your "expert" opinion.

    This is the scat I found:
    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
    (hopefully the picture works)

    If that does not work, click on this link:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/22624576@N03/3671768878/

    Thanks!
    |
    that certainly looks like bear scat.herbavores drop pellets,or pies. fox and others drop sausages(some with hair and bone remenants.) the acorns give it away.(bears eat em up)
    we could ask bear Grylls to taste it. but it sure looks like bears poo
    Last edited by erunkiswldrnssurvival; 06-29-2009 at 11:23 AM.
    God lives in the Mountain, Serve the Master, The Mountain also serves the Master. Serve the Mountain,
    The Mountain Breaks you.
    http://www.youtube.com/trapperjacksurvival
    http://s567.photobucket.com/albums/ss113/erunkis

  3. #3
    Tracker Beo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio (Dunlap's Station)
    Posts
    4,017
    Blog Entries
    40

    Default

    Mmmm kinda looks like bear scat, but not all of it. Maybe the bear had the sh*** lol... while some bears lay logs some do leave patties. Not real sure though but in your neck of the woods I would say yes it bear crap.
    Age and deteriation also come into play, was it fresh? I have seen some big coyotes leave something close to that here in Oh. Were there any tracks? Scratchings on trees or bear rubs? I'm just curious.
    Then again you could've left that and are faking us out... lol... was there a dirty rabbit hoping around there? Lol... just some things to think about. I am joking though bro.
    Beo,
    Last edited by Beo; 06-29-2009 at 11:37 AM.
    There is no greater solitude than that of the Tracker in the forest, unless perhaps it's that of the wolf in the wilderness.

  4. #4
    Voice in the Wilderness preachtheWORD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
    Posts
    360

    Default

    The scat in question appeared to be entirely made up of plant material. It is my understanding that Black Bears can be nearly herbivorous during parts of the year. Still, I didn't see any acorns or berries or any other identifyable remants. There was no fur, bones, etc, that would suggest a carnivore or omnivore.

    I could not call it an "ideal" specimen of bear poo, but I can't imagine what else it could be. It was not from a cat or dog, either domesticated or wild (ie, coyote, wolf, bobcat, cougar). It is unlikely to be from any farm animal. It certainly was not from a deer. It was way too big to be from a racoon, possum, or other small mammal. It wasn't a human turd. The process of elimination (pun intended) leads to a Black Bear.

    Still, I am not 100% sure.
    Preach It - Teach It - LIVE IT

  5. #5
    Senior Member erunkiswldrnssurvival's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Smoky Mountain National Park
    Posts
    1,651
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    scaled from your quarter, the volume would indicate an animal of 250+ lbs. a double handful of scat takes a good sized bowel to carry it. fox and the big cats range in cigar size hotdogs. my money is on the bear scat.
    God lives in the Mountain, Serve the Master, The Mountain also serves the Master. Serve the Mountain,
    The Mountain Breaks you.
    http://www.youtube.com/trapperjacksurvival
    http://s567.photobucket.com/albums/ss113/erunkis

  6. #6

    Default

    looks like its blunt and roughly spherical, I would guess bear

  7. #7
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    North Florida
    Posts
    44,846

    Default

    At least whatever it was left a quarter for the person cleaning it up.
    Can't Means Won't

    My Youtube Channel

  8. #8
    Banned
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    SW Indiana
    Posts
    902

    Default

    Adult bear feces look a lot like human but with the addition of undigested bark and other plant or animal(hair, bone) material. That looks like a bear under 3 years of age. They eat more softer, easier to acquire foods and thus have looser scat. Also all animals have looser scat in the plush time of early Summer when so much food is available. Bear cub scat will have a large amount of undigested food mixed with digested milk(can you say Elmer's glue?) They eat foods other than their mother's milk but haven't developed all the enzymes they need to digest it fully. Hey I just suprized myself, I know my sh!t LOL

  9. #9
    Senior Member Winnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Middle England
    Posts
    5,785
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    And I panic when I see fox poo!?!? My little life has just been put into perspective!LOL
    Recession; A period when you go without something your Grandparents never heard of.

  10. #10
    MMhmMmmm
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Sierra Nevada Mountains
    Posts
    236

    Default

    Probably eating lots of ripe green plants this time of year, def could be bear poopy imho
    Mountain Man

  11. #11
    Voice in the Wilderness preachtheWORD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
    Posts
    360

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hoosierarcher View Post
    Bear cub scat will have a large amount of undigested food mixed with digested milk(can you say Elmer's glue?) They eat foods other than their mother's milk but haven't developed all the enzymes they need to digest it fully.
    I was less concerned when I figured it was a full-grown bear! I don't need bear cubs running around behind my house giving Mamma Bear a reason to turn me into bear poo!

    Given the size of the "pile" in my first post, I'd say it was a full-grown bear, but there were several other smaller piles around. Here are some pictures:

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    The poo on the left looked quite a bit older and more weathered and decayed, so it is perhaps not a good specimen. The poo on the right was slightly more "pelleted" but it was mostly a "plop." I am not convinced these poo piles are from the same animal, but they are similar. Sorry I didn't lay the quarter down for a size reference, but you can get an idea of the scale from the leaves and twigs.

    Although the patch of woods where I found the poo is very close to civilzation - less than 1/2 mile to stores, gas stations, etc - no human being sets foot in the place besides me, and that only started recently. Any wild animal could rest comfortably in there with zero hunting pressure and almost no human presence.
    Last edited by preachtheWORD; 06-30-2009 at 03:39 PM.
    Preach It - Teach It - LIVE IT

  12. #12
    Senior Member red lake's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Red Lake ON
    Posts
    426

    Default

    Bear crap looks like what they have been eating. They will eat anything so the crap will vary quite a bit.

    But I would say yes, that is likely bear crap.

  13. #13

    Default

    Yes, that is bear scat. We found some a few years back and were quite puzzled.

  14. #14
    Quality Control Director Ken's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    16,724
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    My ex-wife used to bake brownies that looked like that. Never could bring myself to eat one of those things.....
    “Learning is not compulsory. Neither is survival.”
    W. Edwards Deming

    "Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils."
    General John Stark

  15. #15
    Senior Member bulrush's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    West Michigan
    Posts
    1,100

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ken View Post
    My ex-wife used to bake brownies that looked like that. Never could bring myself to eat one of those things.....
    At least your ex could bake. Ohhh--SNAP!

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •