Scat (animal poop) question/identification

[Code54]

Went on a run today and found this in the driveway.

Was a bit over 6-7" long, warm and still very moist (it was about 80ish degrees out so must have just been "dropped")

Had hair in it - later photos I pulled it all apart with a stick.

We are in southern WV, and live a good bit off the beaten path.

Now the question - what left me this little present????

 

[oosik]

No takers yet - huh. Well - the one problem on ID - the "shape" is little help. It obviously from a carnivore or omnivore. So the most likely candidates - coyote or raccoon. However - it might be bear or even wolf or badger. It's just real hard to tell.

The color & the hair tell us it's from an animal that ate something with blood. Black usually = blood. The hundreds of coyote droppings I've seen around my place are always well defined - like a large cigar and usually black. Raccoon is the same shape, smaller, but can be most any color and seldom has hair mixed in.

The coyotes around here mark their presence almost daily with droppings in my driveway - right where it dumps out onto the yard grass. Right in the center of the driveway and very obvious.

 

[Wagtail]

Along with oosik's observations (carnivore/omnivore), the size/amount of the dropping suggests a bear of 'local' description.

Yes, I've seen bear scat before during a visit to Canada... I was taken to the local 'zoo' (the town's tip/garbage dump) to observe. I even took a picture of a great bear 'dump', had it framed (in the tackiest frame that I could find) as a present to a mate back here in Aus. [Best present ever, he said]

That bear scat had a scrunched up metal champagne-cork 'cage' in it! :thumbsup:

 

[wngsprd]

I'd say black bear. Their scat varies by season and by diet, but that pile fits the profile.

 

[jjp8182]

I'd agree with black bear given the difference in consistency ...particularly after reading: Black Bear Scat

...from looking at that site the round ball shapes could also imply mountain lion/cougar, but if that was the case I'd say it's one that probably ate something it shouldn't have.

So I'm more incline to go with my initial thoughts of it having come from a black bear based on the size, shape, colors and overall consistency.

 

[Code54]

Thanks everyone. We do have both coyotes and black bear around here. I was leaning toward a black bear but didn't want to say that and have the power of suggestion take over.

We do have coyotes that sometime leave us little presents but it was always smaller, defined, and basically looked like a furry dog turd. This was much larger and undefined, but not filled with blackberries or other berries in it like I would have expected this time of the year??? I did find some piles of scat right up the road from this pile a few weeks ago but they appeared to be coyotes due to it being small and defined with a LOT of hair in it. It looks like our driveway is a crossing for all the local animals so I need to get the deer cam out and place it in that area and who will pose for a picture

For some odd reason I like trying to figure this kind of stuff out and then getting the animal on film. Maybe when I retire from my current job I should look for one of those finding Bigfoot jobs- think it pays well?????

 

[atsah]

Black bear..

 

[Code54]

Along with oosik's observations (carnivore/omnivore), the size/amount of the dropping suggests a bear of 'local' description.

Yes, I've seen bear scat before during a visit to Canada... I was taken to the local 'zoo' (the town's tip/garbage dump) to observe. I even took a picture of a great bear 'dump', had it framed (in the tackiest frame that I could find) as a present to a mate back here in Aus. [Best present ever, he said]

That bear scat had a scrunched up metal champagne-cork 'cage' in it! :thumbsup:

HA - that's funny!

 

[Code54]

It sounds like "Bear" is the final answer. I will deploy a trail cam this week and if I get a photo I'll be sure to post it.
THANK YOU to everyone

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm no bear expert, but I grew up hunting Northern California where there are a lot of black bears, and I never seen bear poop that didn't contain seeds or berries in it. I've also never seen bear poop that was this runny, or soft. I don't think it was a bear. This looks more like something a canine or cat would do, and if I was guessing, I'm leaning towards a large cat. The size of it means lion, but I don't think there are any in Virginia. I don't think a bobcat or coyote could produce something of that size, but maybe. I have a lot of coyotes where I live, quite a few bobcats and my neighbor shot a lion on his place about ten years ago. If you don't have mountain lions, what about a large dog that has gone wild and isn't eating too healthy?