[sammons]

Probably my best opinion would be from Sixball?

Four days ago I took Rowdy out for a morning pee. He led me down to the small creek bed. He got all on alert sniffing. It was still damp and some big big paw prints in the soft stuff with some good size claw marks. Then Rowdy's hair kinda went up. A few yards away in the hard, big dump, with maybe Rabbit fur in it.

Later that day i took him out to pee again and he headed toward the round top power pole. Got close and he went nutz sniffing, then i seen the ground scratching. Appeared to be all 4 paws, deep groove, wide spread and long stroke (17.5" long on fronts). Just thought..damn that was a very big dog.

Today at the parts house, two farmers were talking about someone south of town had spotted a Wolf. They said he probably seen someones Malamute or German Sheperd. I didn't say squat about it.

I haven't seen a Wolf here except for 10 yrs ago at my friends farm 30mile west. Their dog had escaped the kennel and had been gone a week. They left the gate open and feed inside. Thats when they spotted a she Wolf inside. She stayed around for a week. Good looking girl.

Here are 4 day old srcachings, it had sprinkled one day and 40mph winds later. They are still pretty deep.

[sixball]

I don't know what to say other than keep your dog close and pack something big enough to drop a bear on your walks. Looks too big for a dog or even Cydog but wolves can be huge. The scratch marks look more like a bear to me but not at all sure. I've seen rabbit & deer hair in coyote poop. If bears have access to garbage you can all kinds of things like foil, candy wrappers, pieces of pine cones, wood, pieces of plastic....... Wolves are expanding their territory out here with a few now showing up in Nevada. A guy I trust saw 4 not far from here. Department of wildlife says no. Keep checking with the locals and learn what they are seeing. Bears are mostly a pain in the butt. Wolves are very dangerous when hunting.

[sammons]

No Bears around these parts. I'm pretty damn sure it's Very Big Dog or Wolf. Much too big for coyote. Rowdy is average big for a Golden, (25" high at his back) got him up to 73#'s so far, and he does have big paws, long claws (fronts range 3/4" to 1" long). These scratches put him to shame.
Duke(the Inspector) my previous Golden was very large, 29" at back and 107#, but his feet weren't any bigger. Still getting use to Shorty here😁

Yep, State Wildlife office is way out of touch on some critters. It's just the last 20yrs they have admitted to Couger and Wolf being here.

[62131]

I have pictures of a black bear here in my area of Ky, where they say we don't have bear.  I was told that they are migrating here from the mountains in Tn.