Cannot Escape The Wireless & Animal Track Questions
Birdchick posting here.
Wow, there was a time when I would kind of worry about Internet access and how would I get it on the road--not anymore. Wednesday, I left for a cabin that some of my writing friends use to avoid wireless and other life distractions. When I arrived and opened my trusty laptop to begin writing, I still had my airport connection open and I noticed my Inbox filling: 9 new messages, 12 new messages, 15 new messages...Low and behold, there was a signal from a neighbor. Arg.
I had installed bird feeders at this cabin a long time ago and had hoped that no one would fill them, however the writer who worked here ahead of me, learned I was coming and topped off all the feeders before I arrived and they were chock full of activity--oh no, a digiscoping temptation. But I turned off my airport and closed the shades and lots of work did get finished.
I did go out for a walk at one point and found this print in a fresh dusting of snow on the driveway to the cabin. The same tracks were along the road, as well. I'm not so good with identifying mammal tracks, but based on size next to my boot (that boot is about as long as my 12" Powerbook), I think this is a moose. I didn't think I had gone north enough for moose. Any readers out there good at identifying mammal tracks and can confirm my id? I'm still at the cabin and don't have any of my mammal books. Even if this is not a moose, that's the biggest deer print I've ever seen, and I'm not sure how I feel about a deer having a hoof print half the size of my foot.
Wow, there was a time when I would kind of worry about Internet access and how would I get it on the road--not anymore. Wednesday, I left for a cabin that some of my writing friends use to avoid wireless and other life distractions. When I arrived and opened my trusty laptop to begin writing, I still had my airport connection open and I noticed my Inbox filling: 9 new messages, 12 new messages, 15 new messages...Low and behold, there was a signal from a neighbor. Arg.
I had installed bird feeders at this cabin a long time ago and had hoped that no one would fill them, however the writer who worked here ahead of me, learned I was coming and topped off all the feeders before I arrived and they were chock full of activity--oh no, a digiscoping temptation. But I turned off my airport and closed the shades and lots of work did get finished.
I did go out for a walk at one point and found this print in a fresh dusting of snow on the driveway to the cabin. The same tracks were along the road, as well. I'm not so good with identifying mammal tracks, but based on size next to my boot (that boot is about as long as my 12" Powerbook), I think this is a moose. I didn't think I had gone north enough for moose. Any readers out there good at identifying mammal tracks and can confirm my id? I'm still at the cabin and don't have any of my mammal books. Even if this is not a moose, that's the biggest deer print I've ever seen, and I'm not sure how I feel about a deer having a hoof print half the size of my foot.
posted by birdchick at 9:05 AM
9 Comments:
Check out: http://www.suwanneeriverranch.com/wildBoarTracks.htm
Could it be a wild boar?
Exciting anyhow!
Interesting track. At first I thought those two dots near your heel were imprints from dewclaws, but now that I look closer, I think those are the front of the track, where the points dug into the ground. If that's the case, my seven years in Alaska is telling me those are moose prints.
How far north were you? If you're near the Wisconsin border north of the Cities, I wouldn't be too surprised to see a moose.
With my luck it would be a stray cow. Maybe it's Bigfoot "Hoofing" it....lol.
I believe it's an elk print. See how it's rounder than deer but looks about the same otherwise? Also those two little dots right behind are part of the print, and you see that with elk. It's the right size too.
I am near the MN/WI border.
I think boar is out of the question in this part of the US. And elk? It would have to be an escapee from a game farm and to my knowledge there are no elk farms here.
There is a chance way up in the extreme northwestern corner MN to elk running around but I don't think they are in Wisconsin.
I'm packing up from the cabin now, I'll check my mammal books when I get home.
I'd vote moose. I grew up in Alaska, and can verify that their range tends to shift south in the winter. Depending on the severity of the weather and the availability of browse, I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see one in northern WI.
Kaufman's Field Guide to the Mammals of North America shows a moose print. It appears sort of blunt at one end, pointy at the other. It also says "track about 5" long.
In contrast White-tailed Deer is of similar shape but labeled as 2 1/2".
Don't go out there!!!!!!!!!!!
I found this drawing of a moose track that looks remarkably like what you found:
http://www.mv.com/ipusers/env/moose.html
I live in northern WI, about 20 miles n.e. of Taylor's Falls/St. Croix Falls, but there are no moose in our area. You must be farther north.
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