Happiness on a hike is discovering a pile of predator’s scat on the trail, preferably before stepping into it. Think of scat as both the calling card and current-events bulletin created by a passing critter. What the animal ate, when it traveled on the trail, its species and the territorial statement it is making: All are revealed by the lowly pile on the path. 

As the late Eugene Odum (UGA’s “Father of Ecology”) once explained to me, signs of native predators in an area indicate a healthy ecosystem—a natural balance is occurring as the herbivores (plant-eaters) are kept in check. Scat is scientifically useful because of the information it offers about different predators. Research scientists who study wildlife may survey scat to estimate how many of each kind of carnivore (meat-eaters) are visiting a certain area.

While hiking in the woods near my house, I’m pleased to spot a pile of poop loaded with persimmon seeds. I savor this wild fruit and want to be sure there are plenty of native persimmon trees growing here for future generations. Quickly, I reach in my pocket for a plastic bag and scoop up the pile from the trail to plant in a better location. Even without the help of animal tracks, I know who left this scat that's full of shiny, brown seeds. A coyote has been here!

Through the cool, predawn air, a raucous yipping, yowling and high-pitched howling may echo from the woods and fields near Tallassee Road. The wild wailings may also resound from ridges above the banks of the Middle Oconee River. Who needs walking zombies for eerie entertainment when the wild coyotes call in the night?  

Coyotes have scat like that of a small dog, but it’s loaded with a variety of non-dog foods. Hairs of mice, rats, chipmunks and other rodents often stick out, along with other undigested remains of snacks and meals.

Sometimes, insect parts make the scat shimmer in the morning sun, especially when the insects eaten were Green June Beetles (Cotinus nitida). A while ago, I pried a dried, old patty of coyote poop off the ground. The center split open and something round and small began slowly moving toward me. As if dazed and confused, a dirty, yet still very much alive and wonderfully iridescent June beetle crept forth into the sunlight. Apparently, it had been swallowed whole, survived the digestive juices inside the coyote’s stomach and was deposited alive to tell the tale. I put Jonah the June bug gently into the grass and put the remaining seed-packed scat into my bag.

I know that seeds that have passed through the gut of an animal are much more ready to sprout. The digestive processes weaken the seed coat, so the embryo can break through its tough outer covering with greater ease. The surrounding scat also provides fertilizer for the seed. These persimmon seeds are precious, so I promptly plant them in sunny areas where they can grow. Hikers: Take time to scoop the poop to get the latest trail news from our wild brothers and sisters!