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RobS · Feb 11, 2002

I was out at the property yesterday and noticed some tracks that I assumed were a large dog. I also noted there were no human tracks to go along with but didn't think much of it since it is rural.

The following article shows up on the front page of our paper this morning (must be a slow news day). The people quoted live just down our new street...

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/2002/02/11/local.20020211-sbt-MARS-A1-Mystery_cat_seen.sto>South Bend Tribune</A>

forestcreature · Feb 11, 2002

just don't toss it your tractor keys!

Egon · Feb 11, 2002

There be a big difference between cat and dog tracks.

Egon

MossRoad · Feb 11, 2002

Rob,

MEOW!!!

There have been rumors of cougars in that area for several years. The outdoors writer at the Tribune has interviewed several folks that swear that they saw a panther(same as a cougar or mountain lion). When I was a kid there used to be bobcats north of town( and I don't mean the skid steer type). One even stole some of our food at a boy scout campout. But they had short tails and pointy fluffy ears and looked like a jacked up big house cat.

As far as the tracks go, dogs usually leave claw marks in their tracks. As best as I can remember, the bob cat didn't.

This summer my daughter and I are going to make a sandy area in our back yard and rake it smooth. Then we are going to put an X10 camera and motion sensor out there and have it record to the computer. We want to start making plaster casts of animal tracks and this way we'll know what animal made the tracks. Also, this looks like a fun project for a 9 year old and her dad /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

MikePA · Feb 11, 2002

From personal experience, cats will leave more than just their paw prints in a sandy area. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

cedarranch · Feb 11, 2002

We did something similar. We wet down softened dirt and baited the center a few years back for a project for my nephew.

MossRoad · Feb 11, 2002

/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Daddy, why is there playdoh in my sandbox?

MikePA · Feb 11, 2002

Yep, that's what happened. In your case, this could add to the educational experience. A picture, footprints and droppings!

MossRoad · Feb 11, 2002

You know, we were at a state park a few weeks ago and they had fake animal doody for the kids to look at. They were all very interested. Seems you can gather all kinds of information about the animal by what it eats.

Looks like animal doody.
Smells like animal doody.
Feels like animal doody.

Good thing I didn't step in it /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

MikePA · Feb 11, 2002

Speaking of doody.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

When our oldest daughter (soon to be 18) was young, she was outside playing and decided to immitate one of our dogs and leave a deposit on the front lawn. "Hey, if it's good enough for the dogs, I can save some time and not go inside. Why interrupt play time." was her reasoning. When my wife found this present and asked about it, our daughter replied, "I think a chipmunk did that.". It was all my wife could do to not bust out laughing which would have not been conducive to the disciplinary process. The mental picture of a chipmunk producing the evidence that she was looking at was almost too much to bear! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif