Winter's coming to the U.P.

[Jeff]

The Snow on the way up was my first clue, duh, but there was a couple other noticeable signs as well. 

I was doing a toilet paper inventory, and went to check Lynda's little knic-knac toilet paper storage outhouse in the bathroom. I noted there was just one roll in there, but it appeared to be tore up a little. When I picked it up, the shell corn that must have been carried in from out in the shed, drained out of the paper tube. The little guy must have been using the half moon for an entryway.    I've got a surprise waiting for him tonight though, ;D



  

  

 


This afternoon I went out to affix a safety belt in a ladder stand, and add some camo printed burlap so it had more cover, and noticed another sign, a newly dug den of some sort within site of the blind. I couldn't make out any discernible tracks, but I'm hunting there this evening, so maybe I'll find out. As many coyote's as we have around, that is a possibility, although I don't know if it is big enough. The home is probably 10 inches or so in diameter, and the top edge of a knob with almost all spruce growing on it. (plus a few beetle killed tamarack). The hole faces down into a tag aldar swamp.


  

 

[Shotgun]

Jeff, the critter digging the hole near your blind might be a badger.  It's throwing the dirt a pretty long distance from the hole.  It would be fun to see.  A picture would be even better.  Got a spare game cam?

Norm

[Jeff]

I had my best game camera come up missing out of my truck this summer when it was in for repairs. :-\  I have one other that I've got out, but may just move it over to look at the den in a few days. Right now I'm  more interested in what is on the run it is watching.

Its all down hill from the hole, so that may account for the distance of the soil, although it aint all that steep. The hole appears to go down into the roots of the spruce it is under. A badger would be super cool, but my luck runs more towards giant, rabid skunks. :D

[thecfarm]

I've been having chipmunks or squirrels trying  to save thier winter food,acorns in the frame that the wheels are on. Pushes kinda hard then it starts to move like it has a bent axle.  : Than I have to dig the pieces of acorns off the groves of the wheel and do the rails too.

[Magicman]

If that hole was on my place, it would be an armadillo.   :-\ 

I hates Sweetgum and armadillos.....and fire ants.

[clww]

Any groundhogs up there, Jeff? I'm thinking badger, too, as the dirt is thrown some distance away from the entrance, as Shotgun posted.

[Jeff]

Groundhogs are not that secretive, and we are here alot and have never observed one. I'm hoping Badger. I'm going back there in a few minutes to tidy up a shooting lane for gun deer season. Maybe there will be a track. I'm going to put a camera out there too.

[SwampDonkey]

Next summer it may double as a fox den to. I've seen them take over ground hog dens here behind the house. I've also found coyotes take over beaver lodges when the beavers leave and the dam busts loose and left high and dry.

[Roxie]

I love a good mystery!  Can't wait to see what you've got in that hole. 

[giant splinter]

I have to agree with Shotgun as well, Badgers sling dirt a long way and they like the stability of a tree to span over their residence. I too would hope you can get a photo as they just don't come out to pose for a guy out there waiting for his chance. Just curious ...... does it appear that the dirt being slung is done with all four paws and is the opening about 10" wide but smaller on the hight of the entry?.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Can always tell when winter is coming, the mice/chippers/red squirrels are always trying to find a warm place to sleep even if that means chewing a hole in something or sleeping on top of a car engine someplace.

[Jeff]

I was looking at it again today, not put a camera out yet. I was thinking it looked like it was dug in a frenzy. No new tracks, and there is many undisturved spruce and fir needles on the dirt today. I wonder, possibly a hare went in there with a coyote or fox trying to dig it out?

[clww]

Maybe a UP Sasquatch chasing a chipmunk?

[Jeff]

Nope. I checked. No dirt under my fingernails. 

[clww]

 :D :D :D
Touche' !

[Shotgun]

I was looking at it again today, not put a camera out yet. I was thinking it looked like it was dug in a frenzy. No new tracks, and there is many undisturved spruce and fir needles on the dirt today. I wonder, possibly a hare went in there with a coyote or fox trying to dig it out?

That's exactly how badgers dig, Jeff.  And then they don't find what they want, and they just move on.

Norm

[sandhills]

Think I told this before but we were in Estes Park Co. for my SIL's wedding this summer and watched a badger dig a ground squirrel out of a hole.  It was fun to watch other than the fact that all the spectators literally had it surrounded within a few yards trying to take pictures and video  : (we were one our second floor deck).  Luckily it was a young one which must have been fairly used to the attention, they can be mean critters when they want, and yes they dig in a frenzy, cool thing was it was filling in one hole with it's back feet as it was digging out the hole the squirrel ran into to with it's front feet.  The badger got it's prize, then went back to get momma, she didn't want to perform in front of a crowd though and they both left, little kids and adults chasing them all the way with cameras rolling  ???