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Offline CG6468

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Strange snow tracks
« on: January 27, 2012, 10:05:24 AM »
Have any of you seen anything like this? They go in odd directions in our side and back yards. They weren't there in the previous 25+ years we've lived here.

It can't be from water flowing, since they go uphill and circle rather that flow into low spots.  :???:

(The rain barrel blew over and froze to the ground.)






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Offline Rugnuts

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2012, 10:15:15 AM »
are there and small footprints in the "groove-track"
at first i was thinkin boa constrictor, but it cant be a cold blooded reptile. snake / lizard etc.

next would be a big fat rat that couldnt support its own weight. maybe hobbled by a rat trap.

more likely cause... mice will borrow under the snow, did the snow recently melt leaving these tunnels.
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2012, 10:20:05 AM »
Quote from: Rugnuts on January 27, 2012, 10:15:15 AM
are there and small footprints in the "groove-track"
at first i was thinkin boa constrictor, but it cant be a cold blooded reptile. snake / lizard etc.

next would be a big fat rat that couldnt support its own weight. maybe hobbled by a rat trap.

more likely cause... mice will borrow under the snow, did the snow recently melt leaving these tunnels.


The snow is melting, but to be honest I didn't notice them before. Would they be more direct lines, instead of random lines in random directions? It seems that they'd have been present in years past, though, if that what's happening.

No evidence of mice, either, but who knows with those vermin.
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Offline Maxiest

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2012, 10:26:30 AM »
Moles, groundhogs?
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Offline Rugnuts

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2012, 10:46:46 AM »
Quote from: CG6468 on January 27, 2012, 10:20:05 AM
The snow is melting, but to be honest I didn't notice them before. Would they be more direct lines, instead of random lines in random directions? It seems that they'd have been present in years past, though, if that what's happening.

No evidence of mice, either, but who knows with those vermin.
yes it would look like aimless wandering. mice dont have gps. see it go that pile of leaves tells me there is nice insulated mouse house somewhere.
i have seen in the past after few inches of the fluffiest snow, the burrowed tunnel will puff up the snow, like a mole's trail in dirt. once they are made, the tunnels would get re-used, making it more defined. a tunnel in the snow would allow the snow melt quicker leaving the snow next it. thats why they are fully exposed now.
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2012, 10:52:04 AM »
Quote from: Maxiest on January 27, 2012, 10:26:30 AM
Moles, groundhogs?

Moles would leave ridges on top of their tunnels.

Way too small for groundhogs.
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2012, 10:53:16 AM »
Most likely cause;

A one legged man pushing a wheel barrow. 

The real question you should be asking is "What the hell was he doing in your yard?!"

 :popcorn:

KC
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2012, 10:53:59 AM »
Quote from: Rugnuts on January 27, 2012, 10:46:46 AM
yes it would look like aimless wandering. mice dont have gps. see it go that pile of leaves tells me there is nice insulated mouse house somewhere.
i have seen in the past after few inches of the fluffiest snow, the burrowed tunnel will puff up the snow, like a mole's trail in dirt. once they are made, the tunnels would get re-used, making it more defined. a tunnel in the snow would allow the snow melt quicker leaving the snow next it. thats why they are fully exposed now.

Thank you. That seems the most logical - at least for now!  :-)
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Offline Rugnuts

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2012, 11:10:49 AM »
i just went out and checked my yard
we got about 4  inchs of snow last week after what has been a brown winter. (I still havent had to shovel yet, a first for this minnesnowtan) but yesterday and wednesday there was a big melt. its flurrying again right now.

here is a pic i just took. what you will see is intersecting trails (green arrows) there is a signifcant ice crust on top of the old snow. i brushed off the new flurries and broke through the crust (red oval) to make sure there was a "tunnel". there was. and i know there are mice in the area. seen them many times.




my question for you is how wide is that track? it looks 4 inches wide. my tunnel was about the size of my thumb.
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2012, 11:13:12 AM »
Thanks, Rugs!

Texacon: I thought they could be from the short Chinese poet Wan Hung Lo.
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2012, 11:19:53 AM »
Quote from: CG6468 on January 27, 2012, 11:13:12 AM
Thanks, Rugs!

Texacon: I thought they could be from the short Chinese poet Wan Hung Lo.

Heh.  I thought about him too but he has to walk a little bow legged and since there were no obvious footprints I KNEW it had to be the one legged man with his wheelbarrow.

Critical thinking skillz ...... I gots 'em!

 :-)

KC
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2012, 02:02:08 PM »
Secret Ptarmigan tunnels......
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Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2012, 03:54:53 PM »
Snow snakes!  Run for your lives!

Seriously, probably field mice, aka voles.  They look fairly different from house mice or deer mice:  short tales, sausage-like bodies about twice the weight of a house mouse.
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Offline LC EFA

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2012, 05:12:28 PM »
Looks like someone dragged a stick down your yard. Perhaps the footprints were light and have been covered over with fresh snow.

Check to see if anyone has bogarted your lumber pile.
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Strange snow tracks
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2012, 09:34:30 PM »
Quote from: LC EFA on February 01, 2012, 05:12:28 PM
Looks like someone dragged a stick down your yard. Perhaps the footprints were light and have been covered over with fresh snow.

Check to see if anyone has bogarted your lumber pile.


Those were MY footprints.
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