deer don't always poo in pellets. The first time they go after they have been bedded down it sometimes looks compacted. At least this is the kind of poo we usually find neer deer bedding areas.

Thanks, that makes sense. The grass is always matted down right near where I found the scat. It's definitely bedding for some sort of animal, and even thought its smack dab out in the open in my back yard, I've seen deer bedding a few feet away in the winter nights.

A neighbor claims to have spotted a cougar behind their house. I normally wouldn't pay that any attention living in MD, but when the called the dept of natural resources, they were told that others had spotted what they thought was a "cougar" in the same area. Someone claims that they found cougar tracks, but I'm still highly doubtful. Just thought I'd check that rather large scat out with people who knew better than me. Thanks again.