BigGameHoundsmen.com

Found this on a back dirt road in the woods here, my thoughts was a bobcat scratch possibly or maybe squirrels? It wasn't high enough to be a marten I don't think.

Is that one of those china imports? Sorry couldn't resist.

Your knife

Looks like it was made by a red headed double breasted bed thrasher

It was made by something other than me, nice knife jokes lol.

Some kind of bird scratch.

I have seen similar marks on old roads and trails before . you can see the animal that made them was scratching from the bottom to the top as the photo shows and the nail prints trace out to just a slight scratch at the end.

If you have ever watched a coyote or a fox for that matter go along and smell a spot and investigate the smell at times they will rake it slightly with a paw hoping to unveil a little more scent for confirmation of the source. i would guess this was a pup coyote doing the scratch and sniff test. LOL!

I have several hounds that when a track really gets old and has some time and or weather on it they will scratch it with a paw to reveal more scent sniff it and confirm and then bark and move on.

That makes sense Mike, thanks for the input. I've seen these several times, but never was to sure on what had done it. I have hear of dogs licking a track as well when it is hard going, have you seen this before?