Mystery Scat in the Barn

 Well, we have an uninvited guest that sleeps overnight in our barn.  Very secretive and mysterious.  He (or she) leaves behind a 'calling card.'

Either in the feed troughs or in the hay rack or on top of the hay bales, the critter is not shy about pooping.  This is not good.  The cows and the goats eat that hay or they eat out of the feed trough.  We can't have this kind of thing going on.

So I got out our trusty cage trap.  A trap I've used numerous times to catch more possums than I can count (and even the neighbor's cat).  It's a simple trap to use.  I bait it with dry dog food and set it.  The bait is placed in a bowl just beyond the pad.  Once set the pad is in the up position.  Once the critter enters the cage and walks toward the bait and steps on the pad...  Well, the trap is sprung, closing the door behind it. 

Except for the fact that despite setting the trap many times, the critter is too smart and the trap never catches it.  The door never closes.  This weekend I will re-double my efforts and set additional traps.  Hopefully I'll be able to catch the varmint and report next week the identity of the puzzling pooper.