Badgers, Bears and More at Hollow Log

More #MontanaWildlife - this time at a hollow log which, through snow-tracking, we learned was used by a mountain lion for shelter during winter storms. But it has turned out to be much more than a lion shelter.

Sometimes a skunk uses it for shelter, and it scent-marks by rubbing its face against the inner rim of the log. A mother bear and her yearling found the log and rubbed the tree next to it. Another bear came and, curious about the scent of the previous bears, scent marks by "stomp walking" -- watch for the stiff-legged, wide-based "cowboy walk".

Then we see the saga of the ground squirrel and the badger. Watch it carefully - we think ground squirrels had burrow entries from inside the log, behind the log, and way over to the left, near the stump. It looks like the badger tries to get it by heading for all 3 escape routes, and finally gets his dinner after running to the left. In fact, as we see when he returns from the left with a squirrel in his mouth. Badger then re-enters the log, presumably to consume his prey under cover.

Before the badger makes his final exit, he appears to dig/roll/rub in the debris at the log entry. He is probably scent marking. They often do that at the mouths of their burrows and in this case the hollow log takes the place of a burrow.

A mink, a sandhill crane family, and a fawn all make cameos.

NW Montana.

Browning Advantage trail camera.