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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Claw Marks On Tree

We frequently have claw marks on trees but they are generally only as far as the bear can reach from standing on the ground. Bears mark trees to establish boundaries to their territory and then urinate under the tree making it personal. The difference with this marked tree is that the claw marks are 25' up the tree. These are deep claw marks and something with considerable strength had to put them there. Mountain lions will climb trees to hang their kill or pounce on unsuspecting animals but I have not seen them mark trees before. This is a puzzle as to what may have marked this tree so high up and why.

5 comments:

Raylene said...

Could this have been placed when the tree was much younger/shorter? I miss the wild life I had at the house….only one pet under 30 # allowed but not enforced thankfully. I did not know about that before buying it and neither did the realtor.

Bruce said...

Raylene: Doubt it was done earlier as the tree is losing sap from the scars. One of my facebook friends suggested it was done by a bears back legs as it was climbing the tree. I believe that may be the answer as they grab the tree with their front paws and push themselves up with their back legs.

Jane said...

So please tell me what you do to keep it alive? Ours is barely hanging on….

Bruce said...

They often look dead most of the year but come time to bloom they suddenly are alive.

The White Family said...

Trees are dicots and grow from the top, not the bottom.