Fisher using alternating walking pattern in deep powdery snow?

Dan writes:
I spent a number of hours tracking over the last weekend, and I'm
puzzled by something I observed in two different locations. We were
following what I decided were fisher tracks, but the trail pattern was a
bounding offset 2x2 weasel pattern about 10% of the time, and the
remainder of the time was an alternating step pattern, very similar to
gray fox. This was in about a foot of powdery snow, and it was
pretty-much impossible to count toes or determine much from the actual
tracks.

In some places there was belly drag, but in others, just an alternating
pattern of leg holes.

It's possible that we were switching between the tracks of two different
animals, as the entire area on day two was criss-crossed with dozens of
deer trails. Or, perhaps this was a gray fox that liked to bound like a
fisher on occasion.

If you've ever come across an alternating fisher walk pattern, I'd like
to hear about it.

Mystery tracks

Found these tracks along a suburban driveway in Carlisle, leading up to
a shrubbery. Numerous cervid tracks found fleeing the area, including
bounding over a fence and across the homeowner's swimming pool!

Aye, there's the rub

Janet took these photos about 2 months ago while doing a tree inventory on a 15 acre plot within the lime kiln / rattlesnake hill area in Bolton.

This 8-10 inch diameter hemlock, one of only 3 hemlocks within the 15 acres of oak/pignut/pine forest, is evidently used for antler rubbing year after year. As you can see, there is evidence of both fresh rubbing and old scarring, and it went 360 degrees around the trunk.

Bucks usually choose small trees of 1-4 inches in diameter (this is the 2nd largest tree used for antler rubbing that I've ever come across), so why is this tree so well used, and is it the same buck year after year, or a number of different bucks?

No clue about the latter question, but as for the former, I wondered if bucks have a preference for whatever tree species are less common in the area.  Choosing such a tree would have greater visual and olfactory impact.  This hemlock certainly stood out visually within the predominately deciduous forest, and the rub was noticeable from far away.  To deer, the scent probably stands out, too.  I did a quick lit search and found a 1988 study which showed that bucks actually do prefer the less common trees for rubbing!  Never read this in a tracking book, but it's there in the scientific literature.

Hunter's lore has it that bucks with bigger antlers choose larger trees for rubbing...But I haven't been able to find any studies supporting that.

Leafy Tracks

While checking out a local beaver wetland yesterday, I came across this interesting trail of tracks. You can see where two animals (coyotes perhaps) walked on the ice when it was watery on top. Leaves later blew across the surface as the water re-froze and ended up embedded in the tracks.

Triple Header at Phillips

A handful of the Nashaway Trackers took a look around the Phillips Conservation Area today. Though conditions were far from perfect, we saw some interesting stuff. It's clear that deer are abundant there, and though we were disappointed not to find any porcupine sign, we lucked out when we happened upon some decent bobcat tracks. Most interestingly though, we found a deer kill site where the young buck was partially consumed, with much of his body frozen in the ice at the edge of a small pond. Only half of his head was exposed, showing one antler and an empty eye socket. We later came across a large rodent-type skull (more on that after a little research is done), as well as the wing and head of a great blue heron. For your viewing pleasure, attached is a photo of the aforementioned heads.

Tree Snacks

This midden of pine cone debris made me (Lars) think of Native American shell middens that can be found in coastal areas and waterways. One midden of freshwater mussels was found on the Sudbury River in the area that is now Emerson Hospital in Concord MA. The one above was made by a red squirrel, chipmunk? This photo is from Marble Hill Conservation, Stow, MA in a area of mixed deciduous and pine trees.


And here are some deer grazing tracks under a canopy of oaks in Heath Hen Conservation, Stow MA. The close up shows half-eaten acorns. The last photo shows the outline of a deer taking a postprandial nap. The ruler is 8 inches.

Phillip Phillips - Fall 2010