Hog sign?

[wapiti]

Done last week, branches chewed off, gouge marks as high as 4 feet, bark stripped on numerous black locust and persimmon trees.

Not many pockets of hogs here in KY but this was near some documented sites.

I also saw some old hay that had been "rooted" in, but that's still an interpretation. Saw no tracks or droppings.

Thanks!

 

[Freedivr2]

Gouge marks as high as four feet? Nah, methinks that be a deer just gnawin away at something tasty. Looks like a lot of small teeth marks to me.

Hogs are pretty destructive, they don't nibble. I'd guess that if they wanted to get to something up high, they'd push it down to the ground. Never have seen one "browsing" on it's hind legs. Just MHO

 

[EvBouret]

I have seen them browsing with their front legs on the tree but this was in Hawaii and they were picking guavas. It was probably a deer by the looks of it.

 

[wapiti]

It appeared like the animal was ripping the bark then pulling it off with it's mouth. Definitley NOT a deer, deer don't have any top teeth in the front. The bark was stripped off in chunks, not rubbed off in shavings. Some of the trees had bark stripped as high as 8 feet, but the tooth or tusk marks were almost exclusively below 3 feet, with some sparse marks up to 4 feet. Most of the marks were within one foot of the ground. the bark was stripped all the way to the ground.

No livestock in this area.

Do hogs mark trees with their tusks?

 

[boarcrz]

Here in California, I've seen pigs chew up on bark many times especially on sage near bedding. Sage stems are much thinner and teeth marks are more horizontal and they are dull chew rather than sharp scratching. I have seen them leaving rub(mud) as high as 4ft probably scratching theire face and also seen them turning 180 at a split of second. All these to let me believe those were made by pig but you failed to mention if there were any tracks around. I would kneel down and also run you fingures along with your eyes will help you to see or feel some tracks left behind. I hope this helps and good luck to you.

 

[Lurediver]

Do you have bear there in kentucky?

 

[Arrowslinger]

We had'em in TN close to the KY border, so i wouldn't see why not.

 

[wapiti]

I know there are hogs close to this location. The landowner thinks it's a bear leaving this sign. I've seen bear sign, and in my opinion there would be some higher marks than 45" off the ground. In fact, many of the stripped trees would easily be pulled horizontal to the ground by a bear.

As for tracks, I found tracks, but in the hard ground I couldn't say for sure the tracks were not deer. I did place some trailcams to try to catch some pics.

There were also several "rooted" looking places where hay roll bales had been.

I couldn't find any mud on any of the trees, or a wallow, but there were lots of tracks in a muddy area, but again, hard to tell from deer in deep mud......

 

[EvBouret]

If the hogs were to root up, under an old hay pile is a good spot. Did you just move the bales before it got tilled? chances are there were lots of grubs ands worms for them to dig after

 

[EvBouret]

In the deep mud is easier to tell....hogs have dew claws and deer have none

EDIT: I guess I'm wrong...both have dew claws

 

[Kentuck]

Bears are setting up pretty good on KY. Two have been hit by cars the past couple of years in Laurel County and my cousin saw one cross a gravel road one night while riding around with a state trooper friend. We saw some tracks back in the early 70's so they've been there awhile. Some of that country could hold critters and never see a man.

McCreary County is supposed to have hogs. I think they come up from TN. A friend of mine is wanting to get one bad. He's been out a few times but not run into any.

Kentuck