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Monday, February 28, 2011

Poop Quiz

Nope, that's not a spelling error.    Today I'm showing you two very common types of poop that we find around here.  I found both of these samples today in our field while we were cutting and hauling wood to boil sap.  I'm also going to tell you which lovely animals leave it and as an added bonus, I'm going to show you how to tell the difference, so that the next time you see it somewhere by itself, you'll know who left it.

I'm sure you'll sleep better knowing this.   I know I do.

Also, there will be a quiz.   

Sample #1:   Deer

Notice the dark color and glossy finish.  That means it's fresh.   Older poop is lighter and sort of wrinkly - unless it's been raining, in which case it's just mushy. 

Notice the elongated shape - that's important.  This is football shaped poop.

This stuff is generally left in nice little piles like this.   How thoughtful of them.  


Sample #2: Rabbit
Notice the brown color and rough composition.   That's important.   It looks like bits of grass rolled in a mud ball.   It is indeed bits of grass, but that's not mud.

Notice the round shape.  There may be some that's slightly ovate, but generally this is round poop.  

Rabbit poop is sometimes in piles, like deer poop, but often not nearly as neat, as in the photo above.   See how it's scattered just a bit?

So, there you have it.  Now you know.