Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management What is causing this?

I have these interesting spots around my pond. I am assuming that these are dug out spots by muskrats, but don't know for sure. Any ideas? They are within 15 feet of my pond edge.

Dog maybe. Not muskrat unless theres tunnels going into the ground..?

How about a close up photo of the tracks leading up to each one of those opened areas? From a distant glance it looks like deer pawing through the snow to access green growth underneath?

I'd bet money on deer pawing away the snow to eat the grass beneath it.

+1

Or Musk Oxen

I vote for the deer. I see that every year in my garden.

Musk Oxen! Where have you been hiding TJ?

Apparently the arctic circle...

I should have gotten pictures, but last January (2010) the deer dug out two 40 ft rows of Broccoli plants. Roots and all! I haven't been out back this year due to the dump of snow, but I'll check later today if any activity has taken place. I need to inspect some damage anyway.

I must be getting old as I dont like to play in the snow much anymore. Santa Clause beard is coming off today cause everyone thinks I look like Santa Clause, but I only weigh 190! What's up with that!

There was definitely tracks to these areas, but not very many. I will go out and look again today and try to get pictures. I just assumed that the tracks came after the spots, but that is when my assumption was muskrats.

I see human and big foot tracks !

Now that I look at it, they do look like bigfoot tracks! Sweet, I am going to start a tourist attraction. I walked around and through it before I decided to take pictures. I would make a horrible cop. Thank God for teaching!

I am going to check on the local musk oxen herd.

It kinda looks like where some cows were laying.

I'm glad to see you're all at least considering the elusive Sasquatch as a reasonable explanation....you'll soon come around and become full fledged believers!

Good to be back guys - spent last several months pulling up my proverbial boot straps.

I didn't find Bigfoot. It can't be cows (impossible in this location). I will go back today and see what else is going on and place new pictures. There are tons of deer around. The snow is melting enough so I can see if the muskrats have been making tunnels under the snow.

Welcome back TJ!

Okay, now all of my snow is gone!

If that was any where close to Texas my guess would be hogs.

I am just glad people do not think it is muskrats. I have seen no other signs of them this winter so far. I am gearing up for the spring battle, however.

My dad said this is the worst year he has seen in his trapping career for muskrats. Maybe it's nationwide?

Not sure about the overall trend on rats, Travis, but I can certainly say that in my larger pond, which is usually teeming with them, I have not seen nearly the same numbers this year and over the winter did not see anywhere near the level of activity as I did last year. They had a big hold in the ice and it was common to see four or five of them hanging out at the edges almost any time. But this year there wasn't any of that and now that the ice is out, I'm not seeing too many swimming around. May still be a bit early for them, but the numbers do seem lower to me.

Not as many around SW MN either. We were just talking about this at break the other day, some one asked if any one had seen any muskrats lately.