so only the paths? and the paths are wood chips, right? sounds like something looking for earthworms, but then why not get into the beds? do you have wild boars too?

I think it could have been a raccoon after the grubs and worms under the moist grass. It has been dry, and if a big one got in and found lots to eat, they could do that.

We our elderly dog died, the wildlife knew it and moved in closer by the day. With new dogs on duty we see few incursions during the day, but by the way the dogs act first thing in the morning, there are mysterious visitors every night.

Skunks doing this in my yard, usually looking for slugs. They know exactly where they are hiding.

I woke up one morning to find neat little holes dug all around the edges of my beds - not under plants, mind you, just neatly all around the perimeter. I know we have (many) skunks so that's what I assumed did it but i couldn't figure out why they skipped the plants - maybe after the grubs instead....who were all strangely along the edges...? Who knows the ways of grubs.... ;)

What makes this even stranger is that I have extensive ornamental gardens too--all mulched with wood chips. In fact the veggie garden is only a couple of feet from very large beds on two sides--no digging at all in the ornamental beds.

I've spoken to several people who are pretty good on wildlife and guesses range from skunks to raccoons--though the coon would have had to climb the fence--and I've never heard of them doing that unless they're after corn. And I've seen no scat around the yard, and when I had a coon a few years ago and had only a single strand electric fence and a short galvanized wire fence that I stepped over, the coon didn't attempt to enter the garden until the first corn was just about ready.

I just hope it never happens again; after all how long before it starts on the bed?. I'm quite nervous about tonight, I must admit.

Post a few pictures. Could it be a ground hog?

I would try very hard to mend the fence. Can you plant stakes where the breach occurred?

Do you have armadillos up that way? With their hard shells they can sorta plow under a fence.

A trick I learned on fencing in a digging dog works on keeping critters out if done to the outside instead. Bury some of the galvanized a few inches deep lying flat. A 1 foot wide strip works best. Attach the flat fence where it meets the vertical fence

A lot of work, but it works. Once the animal starts digging, it's claws will encounter the fence a couple inches down and quickly become discouraged.

Well, I did stop up the hole under the gate and when I went out with a flashlight a little after 5, the garden looked ok, although I took only a very quick look through the fence.

No armadillos in this part of the world. I'm still thinking skunk although i've never heard of them acting like that and all the holes I've ever seen them dig have been neat little round holes.

Skunks do that kind of digging around here - almost like hogs do.

I asked Giorgio Tsoukalos what it could be. He said you have Aliens. Maybe even Ancient Aliens. So be careful.

Ha! Don't know who Giorgio Tsoukalos is, but I'm leaning heavily now to skunks. Or maybe aliens.

He's the guy with crazy hair on the tv show ancient aliens.