Yesterday's Hike

I am hiking in many areas this winter. I want to get a record of different places and return to them at future dates in different years and different seasons. Here is a photo of a trail that appears to me to be carved out of the ground by use and erosion.

To the right is a farm pond.



From this view the trail is on the other side of the ridge at the top of this photo.

The weather while on this hike was in the mid 20's. The snow is not crunchy but is not powdery either.

Making my way further down the hill I came across an unusual tree. It was bent over but and the branches are now the leader growing upward.

Animal Trail

Hiking along a trail I frequent often I came across this den hole and mud slide. The photo below shows the trail leading up the other side of the hill. I looked closely for tracks, none were available. That leads me to believe that the animal drags part of his body behind his feet. A beaver tail perhaps. But the hole seems to small for beaver. Hiking in this area, I have never seen any trees cut by beaver so that leads me to rule out beaver.

Badger would be the next logical choice. They range from 13 to 30 pounds so they also seem a little big for the above hole.

Other possibilities would be mink, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, spotted or striped skunks, river otter and weasels.



Psalm 91:3 "For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.