Odd tailgate damage - source?

[HitchHiker]

So over the past few weeks I’ve noticed these deep scratches appearing in the plastic on top of the tailgate. Best we can tell it’s claw damage from an animal of some kind, but the odd thing is there’s no damage anywhere else whatsoever on the tailgate area. Zero paint scratches, zero scratches on top of the bumper where the plastic resides, nothing. At first I thought maybe it was someone trying to pry open the Bakflip but if that was the case I would think there would be at least a few scratches on the Bakflip itself but zero damage to the tonneau cover either.

Fortunately I can simply replace the plastic piece on top of the tailgate for about 50 bucks easily.

I also then noticed a few similar damaged areas in the plastic up close to the cab as well. Again zero damage anywhere around it though. A mystery that requires solving. Pics of the damaged areas below. Anyone ever experienced anything like this before?














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[22hemi13]

Squirrels maybe? Never seen that lol. Can you set up a cam to see what’s doing it? Game cares would do the job and they’re pretty cheap. But that’s crazy

 

[sbarron]

My bet is birds... not with claws but by pecking at it... they ether like the texture or they are taking little bits back to nests... do yo have crows or magpies in the area?

 

[silver13]

Big ass birds. Lol


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[HitchHiker]

Squirrels maybe? Never seen that lol. Can you set up a cam to see what’s doing it? Game cares would do the job and they’re pretty cheap. But that’s crazy

Yes that was my thought as well, either squirrels or birds pecking at it. I gotta pick up a cheap outdoor webcam somewhere soon.


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[turkeybird56]

Squirrels most probable, depending where U R, sometimes raccoons, but a Cheap Web Cam photo of the offending critter would be priceless.. IMHO

Those scratches sure look more like raccoon or possum than birds or squirrels. Get yer game cam going and yer 22 LR, LOL

 

[WilliamS]

Bears

seriously likely squirrel or chipmunks depending on which you have.

 

[22hemi13]

Squirrels most probable, depending where U R, sometimes raccoons, but a Cheap Web Cam photo of the offending critter would be priceless.. IMHO

Deer cams are awesome. You never know what ypull see.

 

[BWL]

Sometimes you cant undo what you see. Have a few around my property for extra security over the home camera system. Funny things people do when they think they're alone in the woods. I'm a nice guy so unless they're messing with my stuff I just delete and forget. Also surprising just how much wildlife wanders around unseen.

 

[HitchHiker]

Squirrels most probable, depending where U R, sometimes raccoons, but a Cheap Web Cam photo of the offending critter would be priceless.. IMHO

Those scratches sure look more like raccoon or possum than birds or squirrels. Get yer game cam going and yer 22 LR, LOL

We have spied both a raccoon and a groundhog over the past couple of months and so has my neighbor. I guess what surprises me if it was either of these larger animals that there is zero damage/scratches to anything other than the plastic?

I need to go borrow a 22 LR from my father. I currently only have two AR-15’s and several handguns in my cabinet, none of which are ideal for varmint disposal LOL.


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[HitchHiker]

Deer cams are awesome. You never know what ypull see.

I will check out deer cams online and see what I can dig up.


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[HitchHiker]

Bears

seriously likely squirrel or chipmunks depending on which you have.

We definitely have a LOT of squirrels around us. I have 22 mature trees on my half acre property. Lots of squirrels as a result. [emoji2]


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[turkeybird56]

Yup, got M4 in safe and handguns. Not have my wife's mother's LR 22. Gave that weapon to her son when my wife died, figured family keepsake for him...

Hmmmm, got a 12 gauge Mossberg with choke, ah nope, lmao, too many holes in truck, just saying, hee hee

 

[BWL]

I will check out deer cams online and see what I can dig up.


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I picked mine up from Costco. Black out Ir emitters so they don't draw attention at night and takes aa batteries so its easy to find replacements or go with rechargeables plus included sd card. I swap the batteries every couple months and it overwrites once full if you don't check it and you set it for that, which I do since they're mounted high so I need a ladder if I want to check it.

 

[SitKneelBend]

It's a squirrel. I have the same indents on my favorite travel mug...

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[rwhjr]

Those marks very much look like squirrel chews in your pics and I know for a fact they’ll happily eat some plastic if they’re in the mood. I think your truck happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a squirrel got you.

 

[clifford15]

Squirrels. I put a bag of cocoa husk mulch in a new Rubbermaid trash can and the squirrels destroyed to cover to get inside. They are very destructive and have nothing better to do all day.

 

[Addicted2fishing]

Get a trail camera. Point it at your truck. I’m guessing a rodent chewing


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[SitKneelBend]

Known squirrel marks...

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[TXCOMT]

Dang, you mean on top of the Hemi tick, tailgate issues and AutoPark, I now have to worry about squirrels eating my Ram? I should've never sold my Ranger...

Seriously, though, OP, sorry that happened...I'd be livid if I saw that! I'm fortunate to park in my garage overnight, but now I'm thinking I should watch my truck more often here at work. We've got a lots of wooded acreage on the west side of DFW Airport (surprisingly enough)!

TXCOMT