Droppings on stumps
 

I have noticed a peculiar thing this spring. I have a food plot on a hilltop in some pines. We had a lot of large Pines cut 2 yrs. ago including 6 that were in this plot. Three of the stumps in the middle of the plot have the tops completely covered with droppings and I can't seem to spot any on the ground. I have another spot that I have been cleaning to plant more forage and there are two stumps there with droppings on them. Has anybody noticed this behavior of the deer?

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

I have seen where rabbits will have droppings on stumps but not deer.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

If these are rabbits, then I won't use a shotgun, I'll use my deer rifle.
(The pellets are elongated, not round.) This is the first time I have seen this, maybe because I haven't paid attention and noticed this before when I was scouting through the timber.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Never seen it with either deer or rabbits, but foxes and coons do it around here.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Set up a camera.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

No Camtracker here. But I will take a picture of the stumps and post it if I can figure out how to get it posted. Did check the stumps today and now there is so many droppings that they are starting to cover the fround around one of the stumps.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

If you have pines around, could it be from porkys?

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

No way, Sawbill. It's beginning to look like a deer yard. But just by the stumps. There is another stump near the salt lick with droppings around it. guess they're aim isn't so good at this one. Sorry if I am late with this followup, our phone lines were cut by a road construction crew. Been out all day. Wife has a cell phone, but that don't help the 'puter. Did take photos of the stumps, now have to get them uploaded.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

If I did this right, there should be some pictures of the stumps. I hope this is it. There is a second picture at this site.

http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=115369

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

looks like rabbit to me ; maybe not.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Are you picking them up and putting them there?

If a deer were to stand over the stump and they were to fall they would bounce around and off. I have a hard time believing this to be a deer....

Russ how come your posts are stuck at 497?

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Nope, I'm not putting them there. And they are too large for rabbits. In fact, I have few rabbits in the timber, a few cottontails but not enough to make this many droppings. I'm seeing this only near or on foodplots. Stumps away from the plots don't show this practice. Just put horse manure on another plot, 2 stumps there the same way. (I'll see if my post # changes with this.) From the size, I would say they are older does. My Pea plot (no stumps) shows a lot of small droppings. I believe this is where the fawns/yearlings are feeding.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Russ; are you sure that you haven't got a few Jackrabbits around your place. If they were deer litter, I'd expect them to be in tighter bundles. Put some bird seed next to one of the stumps and see what kind of sign you get.

Dan O.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Bird seed????? What in the world will that bring in? I haven't heard of anyone seeing jack rabbits here in Miss. The one pest we have had invade our area is those darn Armadillos, I guess from Texas. Those buggers can raise havoc with a garden. The nephew has a camtracker, I might see if he can set it up in the plot. Maybe catch one in the act.LOL

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

You rascal, you opened a bag of M&M's and put them on the stump. I can't wait to see what your camtracker gets, I think rabbits. terry

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

I think they could be deer - or rabbit - but that mice are carrying them up there - WHY??? I don't know.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

I once watched some chip-monks work all day carrying deer crap up on to my back deck.

I was more than a little befuddled about "why" they were doing it.

A few weeks later I noticed that all the pellets were broken open.

I can only guess that the chipmonks were putting them up to dry, and eating all the "good stuff" from inside each one.

Maybe that is what is happening here.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

A good bird seed mix of sunflowers, corn and grains will feed just about anything. You just need to see what prints are being left. I didn't know that you didn't have Jack's in the south. They give rabbit hunting a new meaning.
Dan O.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

That is definately rabbit droppings. Either swamp bunny, jack rabbit, or easter bunny it is a rabbit. Have seen this many of times. If still not sure, get you a game cam. and prove us wrong. Rabbits like to sit on top of these stumps and look out for danger while there eating something.

Chad

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Maybe that is what is happening here. I've got a feeling there are not a lot of hunters actually seeing what is really happening out there in the woods. Been out in the woods for over 50+ years, (that's probably longer than a lot here are old.) I know the difference between different animal droppings. Maybe because of my age I have a tendency to watch where I'm stepping in or on. At 70, I cant handle too many falls. There can be a lot of sign right under a person's feet, if a person is looking. All droppings are not alike; these are deer droppings.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

My goodness people...SWAMP RABBITS! Surely some of yall have seen a south Alabama swamp rabbit before? They love to hockey right up on top of stumps, rocks, bricks, anything that is above the ground level. Swampers around my neck of the woods can get to be as big as medium size dogs...betcha thats what them is.

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Russ, I still think somebody is mess'n with your mind. Pick up a couple pellets and see if they taste like chocolate, I think they're M&M's.:D:D:D terry

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Lawnfarmer,
I/m not going to be one of your strange friends, running around tasting pellets.

Russ

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

I bet its that dang Sasquatch again

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

Might just be a deer with potty issues. Prolly comes from some tramatic childhood thing ![:-]

RE: Droppings on stumps
 

I've hunted for over 20 years and I would bet the farm that was rabbit droppings. They look dried and they may have made them shrink to a different shape, I'm not sure but I still say it's rabbit. I hope you get a camera out there and prove us wrong. Good Luck.