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Today I found the tree! And the scratches! Last January I had been following a large animal because it's track resembled those of a mountain lion. A large melted area at the south base of a hemlock tree suggested that it had slept overnight where the land sloped away, and further, there were quite a few tracks around the east base of the tree, and a lot of scrapes and scratches. The next day I went back with a camera but was unable to find the specific Hemlock. Was I dreaming?
Today I was following a distinct deer trail east to west, through a hemlock grove, looking for a new spot to put a trail camera, and found the old Hemlock tree! The scrapes aren't as white as they were last winter but still quite visible. Now, one would argue as to what made these scrapes, but I have the advantage of having seen the large cat tracks, AND witnessed and remarked upon the spot where it had slept, right next to the tree. (click on "Read Here" above to see the original post.)
