How to identify an animal

[rsj223]

Just wanted to start a thread on identifying animals by there droppings, prints and any other way to find out what is around you, this can be a collection of information so that new hunters can ask "what print is this" type of thing.
I'll start with this pic

[Apollo]

And the animal is....?????

I give up.... A bare patch of dirt, my camping spot....

[scrolllock]

From a deer bedding down?

[North East]

To hard to tell from that pic. Any prints around? It could be anything. Close up pics are needed.

[rsj223]

To hard to tell from that pic. Any prints around? It could be anything. Close up pics are needed.

No prints, found about 5 like this one I was thinking wallabie, this area has many roos, seen some of goats, a friend that lives up that way says he seen deer on his property but I've never seen them at this place.

[North East]

A trail/game camera would solve the problem.

[wrenchman]

look like a scrape

[wrenchman]

i would need to see if there are any prints

[KWhorenet]

I find what look like similar scrapes and allot of damaged small trees after the fallow are in velvet but often the areas are so covered in wombat scat and roo prints I'm not absolutely sure if it is deer or wombats or roos. Could be last seasons stands that now just get crapped on.
Check these pics out and see if they look familiar.

[wrenchman]

they do look like scrapes but i dont any thing about roos or wambats i would set up a blind or a hide or a tree stand and watch them to see if you have a good buck come in and set up a tral cam by them

[rsj223]

Only prints are at a dam over 500mtr away as the ground is soft there, it rained a fair bit a few days before I got there.
Will be up there again this weekend I hope.

[pucker]

fallow buck rear print

Nice clear print there. Could you follow him and bag him?

[Gwion]

Dunno what it is but it is definitely not a wombat or a wallaby or 'roos.

[KWhorenet]

fallow buck rear print

Nice clear print there. Could you follow him and bag him?

No such luck. They were everywhere in the bush next to my boundary during the rut. Still see regular fresh prints. Two were so keen they managed to do a frozby flop over the wire and into my place. Just last week a free range was battling mine through the fence wire. If I pick up a 243 this week I may have a shot at the prick before the fence gets damaged and others escape. Spot light in one hand and irons on a 30-30 aren't cutting the mustard

[remnt]

I just read the label on meat tray

[rsj223]

What poop is this ?

[Gwion]

Really is hard to say without context to the environment. Close up pics aren't always the best.

For instance, wombats have sort of square poo (like above) but it tends to be bigger, drier, more separate, greener and most importantly, deposited on a prominant area or high spot like a log or rock.

So, is it an isolated scat?
Are there more like it in the area?
How many?
How far apart (roughly)?
Is it on a game trail or scattered over a grazing field?

All these things will give you clues to what it is. Like, if it's a lone animal or travelling/grazing in a mob, etc, etc. What the terrain is like. What food sources it's near. What animals are known to live in the area.

Personally, it looks marsupial to me.

[rsj223]

Do see a lot of wombats on the side of the road.
There were many like this, about 6 lots in the size of 4 buses
This area is close to a road and next to a river

[Gwion]

At a real ball park guess, i'm saying some sort of wallaby.

[headspace]

I'd be inclined to think wallaby on that initial pic. Animals very seldom crap in their own nest. (Unlike some humans.) A wallaby won't anything much in the way of prints either. I have wallaby scapes like that on my place.
JD

[rsj223]

I was thinking wallaby, no prints.

[joker]

this is quite an interesting post, haven't put much thought into how tracking works but looking forward to learning

thanks rsj for starting it

[Old Fart]

I believe the dropping on the right is from a Mitsubishi Triton

[joker]

I believe the dropping on the right is from a Mitsubishi Triton

[rsj223]

I believe the dropping on the right is from a Mitsubishi Triton

You are close

[kurl]

They're a great trophy, but have you ever tried to mount a bonnet on your wall?

The Mrs will not be happy

[jake84]

I believe the dropping on the right is from a Mitsubishi Triton

[tom604]

I believe the dropping on the right is from a Mitsubishi Triton

ten out of ten

[Harper]

I was thinking wallaby, no prints.

Ninja wallaby?

[rsj223]

Ok found this tree in a area known for wallaby, roos, goats, I would assume this was done by goats but can/do roos eat trees?