Understanding Wildlife Activity on Your Land This Winter

By Jennifer Hunt (Content Writer) and Shane Fuller (Certified Wildlife Biologist)

When the ground is covered in snow, and the landscape appears to be asleep, the forest is still teeming with wildlife activity. Winter offers a unique opportunity for landowners to observe animals that are often hidden during the warmer months. With leaves off the trees and fresh snow acting like a blank canvas, signs of wildlife become easier to spot and interpret. We’ll give an overview of what to look for in winter and highlight signs that indicate specific species may be using or inhabiting your property.

Even the most elusive animals leave clues behind as they move across the landscape. Snow, bare ground, and dormant vegetation make these signs easier to detect if you know what to look for.

• Tracks: Just as humans leave footprints, so do animals. Look for hoofprints, small prints in straight lines, paw pads, and tunnels through the snow
• Scat: Wildlife often uses established paths as travel corridors, and sometimes as restrooms. Pellet-shaped scat can indicate deer or rabbits, while scat containing fur or bone suggests carnivores. Grassy or crumbly scat is typical of herbivores.
• Bark damage: Stripped bark, gnawed trunks, and rectangular holes are telltale signs of deer and pileated woodpeckers.
• Rub marks/food piles: These are commonly found on or around trees and plants and often indicate feeding or territorial behavior.
• Sounds: Not only can you see signs of wildlife, but you can hear them, too. Woodpeckers drum into trees, owls hoot, and wolves howl. Their activities and calls carry further with bare deciduous trees, and sound waves travel more slowly and more efficiently in the cold, dense air.

With these general signs in mind, let’s take a closer look at several common species and the specific clues that indicate they’ve been nearby.

Deer Signs

Deer rub on trees to communicate with other deer through visual cues and scent. This allows them to mark their territory and shed antler velvet. Leaving their scent behind in a particular area can intimidate other bucks and function as a warning before sparring. Landowners can roughly determine how recently the deer has passed through by examining the scrapes on the wood. Bright-colored wood means the scrape is fresher, whereas old wood is weatherized and discolored. Not only will deer rub on trees, but they will also create scrapes, which are especially prominent during the rut (mating season). When creating a scrape, deer paw away leaf litter and vegetation, leaving behind a shallow cavity. It’s not uncommon for bucks to take it a step further and urinate on the scrape as another way to mark their territory.

Fox Signs

Foxes are masters of stealth, so while signs may be present, landowners may rarely glimpse them. Their footprints are distinct as they walk in neat, single-file straight lines, and their scat is often left in the middle of trails. Because of their diet, landowners may see fur and seeds in their scat. Their hunting style is notable as they dive and pounce into holes or mounds to catch their prey (voles, mice, and other small rodents). Since they mate in January and February, landowners may hear their barks, howls, or screeches carry across distances. Lastly, they tend to bury their food in small holes, so caches may be found around the property.

Bald Eagle Signs

Our national bird makes its presence known in the winter in various ways. While we know to look up and keep our eyes trained on the sky, bald eagles inhabit certain areas in the winter. Look no further than bodies of water where bald eagles will perch and fish for food. Their massive nests are unmistakable, as they are between 4-6 feet in diameter and up to three feet deep in conifers (white pine, Douglas fir, red pine, and spruce trees) and deciduous trees (Eastern cottonwood and sycamore trees). Bald eagles prefer open access areas with clear flight paths in and out of their nests.

Turkey Signs

Many landowners may optimize their property to attract turkeys, and there are ways to affirm that their efforts are fruitful. Look for scratches in the leaves or snow, as this reveals that turkeys have been digging for food. Their scat looks like cylindrical droppings, and the ends are blunt with a slight curl. Because they provide wind protection, turkeys tend to prefer conifer stands for roosting. Lastly, look in areas with mast-producing trees (oak stands and timber tracts with acorns, hickories, and beech trees).

Whether wildlife is simply passing through or has established residence, animals make their presence known in subtle but recognizable ways. By paying attention to tracks, scat, bark damage, and sounds, landowners can gain valuable insight into how their property is being used throughout the winter months. Even if you never see the animals themselves, these signs confirm that your forest is providing habitat for a wide range of species, from majestic bald eagles to clever, elusive foxes.