Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management
Research-based Wildlife Control Technology and Management Information from Experts Who Care

Scat identification service by the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management

Identifying the Animal Species Causing Crop Damage
alfalfa harvestJason Gilsdor in a Nebraska cornfield

This page contains a series of questions that will help guide you in determining the wildlife species that is damaging your crops.

Is the damage occuring to:

Corn?

Soybeans?
corn soybeans

Corn

deer damage corn cob

Corn Damage Identification by Species

Deer Damage to Corn



Key signs: deer tracks

  1. Tracks:
  2. Deer are browsers, so damage will be scattered throughout the field, but more concentrated near their travel areas.
  3. Note how the cob has been bitten in half.

Black Bear Damage to Corn

  • Typically damage corn in the middle of the field. It's not uncommon to only uncover the damage at harvest time because their activity will not be visible from the edges. Stalks will be bent at the base and/or husks removed from stalk. Very wasteful eating as most of the corn will remain on eaten cobs.
raccon corn damage

Raccoon Damage to Corn



Key signs:

  1. Stalks knocked over in different ways.
  2. Husks stripped off the cob (like we would) before eaten. 
  3. Cobs will frequently have a muddied appearance as dirt from the raccoons paws will transfer to the cob.




Soybeans

Soybean Damage Identification by Species

Deer Damage to Soybeans

Key signs:

  1. Cuts to stem will have a ragged appearance because deer lack upper incisors. In contrast, damage caused by woodchucks or rabbits will have a clean cut appearance, often at a 45 degree angle.