On a walk to fish at a local cranberry bog near home with a friend, we were checking the ground for tracks when my companion pointed out what they thought was a large deer track. As soon as I glanced down, I knew it was a local ungulate, but not Odocoileus hemionus columbianus. The general hoof shape was round, not so pointed as a deer toe. The size would not easily overlap with our deer species. The rounded toes suggested something I had never found sign of in this forest.
Out of the examples above, there are two species you’ll find here in Western Washington, and the rest are non-existent, with a hand full of flukes like this. Have you a guess what wonderful animal we tracked only a few miles from home? I’ve often dreamed of seeing them on my land moving through one day, but to discover one had come through this forest to the east of us, was no less exciting. It was a lone animal on the trail, but had still made it into some woods where I hope see more of its kind, though there is not a lot of ideal habitat for them here, mainly because of development. Such a great gift to see in familiar woods, it’s an encouraging hint at what could be if we gave nature more of a chance.
EEC Forest Stewardship 