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Help identify this trail

Horn

Horn

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2022
Messages
3,032
Found this unusual trail Saturday, it leads right into a river. I'm standing just out of the river when I took the pictures. I was wading, wet and it was really hot and humid, so I got back in the river and stuck to the plan. Somewhat productive trip.Notice all the grass is matted in the same direction. ( To the river) I wasn't able to see any tracks, even right at the edge. It has about a 6 inch vertical drop from the trail to the water, it's been hot and dry and I assume the river is lower than normal.

Guesses so far are: water runoff, a game trail, humans ( weird spot but you never know) and beaver. Although I'm not sure if we have beaver here, montcalm county MI
 

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Horn said:
Found this unusual trail Saturday, it leads right into a river. I'm standing just out of the river when I took the pictures. I was wading, wet and it was really hot and humid, so I got back in the river and stuck to the plan. Somewhat productive trip.Notice all the grass is matted in the same direction. ( To the river) I wasn't able to see any tracks, even right at the edge. It has about a 6 inch vertical drop from the trail to the water, it's been hot and dry and I assume the river is lower than normal.

Guesses so far are: water runoff, a game trail, humans ( weird spot but you never know) and beaver. Although I'm not sure if we have beaver here, montcalm county MI
Click to expand...
Looks like beaver to me too. If it is there should be a bunch of chewed off trees in the area.
 
I don't think that is a fresh beaver slide. You can't miss those. Hauling brush down 24/7 leaves a lot of sign. Old slide maybe. Watch yourself walking through that if it turns out to be an old slide. Beaver punji sticks are hell on boots and legs.
 
Musk rats? Beavers have been popping up here and there. Something not leaving a deep noticable track. Minks. Weasels.
 
Well I'm going to put a camera on it, just for fun. I did see, what I thought was, a muskrat not far from there a little while later.

Thanks for the input, and tip about walking carefully. I'll let you guys know what I find
 
Obviously a Samquatch trail!
026f01b009b9347a3260e72d52fe1286.jpg
 
Rainy weather today, tomorrow or Monday I'll put a cam up. A week or so, then check it and I'll let you know what I find
 
Looks like hogs to me throe s camera up high looking down on it. Should tell you who the culprit is
 
Probably going to put a camera out today
 
Beaver slides are almost exclusively straight. Usually 8-12 inches wide. So unless the terrain is such that they have to detour, I would rule out beaver.

How wide is the trail?
 
The trail is definitely wider than 8 inches, 12-15 is probably close
 
Well never did put that camera up. Bumped into an acquaintance on that river last week, thought to ask him. He wasn't sure where it was but he was pretty sure beaver based on my description and knowing the area.

I was right there last week but chose to pursue whitetail rather than log more miles. In hind sight I should have kept exploring lol. I did see a mink or two. I'm not very educated on mink/ muskrat and such. I grew up on a lake and we had muskrat- to me. This was bigger, longer and had longer straighter hair than what I'd call a muskrat.

- seen stick-stacking type activities on my way out that night a couple hundred yards away, did not see a beaver tail and it seemed petty slender from what I remember a beaver looking like. Appeared to just be gathering sticks and moving them ton one spot.

Same area tonight. Opposite side of the river, snapped a couple pics. Same picture one with flash, one without.

Beaver?20221114_173306.jpg20221114_173259.jpg
 
Horn said:
Well never did put that camera up. Bumped into an acquaintance on that river last week, thought to ask him. He wasn't sure where it was but he was pretty sure beaver based on my description and knowing the area.

I was right there last week but chose to pursue whitetail rather than log more miles. In hind sight I should have kept exploring lol. I did see a mink or two. I'm not very educated on mink/ muskrat and such. I grew up on a lake and we had muskrat- to me. This was bigger, longer and had longer straighter hair than what I'd call a muskrat.

- seen stick-stacking type activities on my way out that night a couple hundred yards away, did not see a beaver tail and it seemed petty slender from what I remember a beaver looking like. Appeared to just be gathering sticks and moving them ton one spot.

Same area tonight. Opposite side of the river, snapped a couple pics. Same picture one with flash, one without.

Beaver?View attachment 75994View attachment 75995
Click to expand...
Yes 100% that is from beaver.
 
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