A Wintry Woods Walk

By Alicia Carlson

Vermont Coverts Outreach Technician

​I took advantage of the fresh snow earlier this week and went on a winter woods walk. Right away, I found a set of tracks in the snow. They crossed my path and headed up the hill in one direction; I followed them in the other direction along our woods road. They were similar to tracks I've seen in past years that I've guessed at being fox.
 
Before long, I realized there were actually two sets of tracks; although they appeared as one in most places, they diverged at others. I began to wonder: is it one animal traveling the same trail in two different directions, or is it two animals traveling together in one direction?

Fox tracks travelling along a snow-covered woods road.

I stopped to watch some juncos seeking food in the snow before I turned around and followed the tracks back the other way, hoping to find my answer. (Spoiler alert: I didn't.) After I followed them up the hill to our second woods road, and after feeling frustrated with my lack of tracking skills, I diverged from that activity and went to look for other tracks.

A gnarly oak tree with several cavities along the trunk.

I made a stop at my favorite tree, a gnarly old oak that stands right beside the woods road. I took a couple pictures, then noticed a set of tracks leading to the base of the tree. I went to inspect, decided it was probably a porcupine, and took a couple steps closer to gaze up the trunk in search of the critter.

Porcupine tracks leading to the base of the old oak tree.

Now, maybe you'll notice in the picture of this tree, it has several cavity openings, a couple near the base and more further up the trunk. Earlier this year, I saw something (probably a raccoon) perched high in the tree. We know it's a good wildlife tree. And I knew there was recent activity, given the fresh tracks.
 
All that knowledge did nothing for my courage when, within seconds of stepping closer to the tree, I heard loud scratching coming from inside the trunk, at what seemed to be eye level. Friends, I'm a little embarrassed to say that I stumbled over myself backing away as fast as I could! Even though I was confident it was a harmless little porcupine, I envisioned a rabid raccoon jumping out at me. (Spoiler alert: it didn't.)
 
I took some video, hoping to see a head emerge from one of the cavities. I'd share it, but the scratching is barely audible, and I don't need to bore you with a 30 second video of a gnarly tree trunk.
 
I got my wits about me and continued on, hoping to find more tracks. I didn't cover the whole road, but I'm astonished to say I didn't come across any deer tracks. They like to bed down under our hemlocks, and there's often a highway of deer tracks in certain areas of our woods. I'm sure they're nearby and will be found on my next winter woods walk adventure.