Which of the following is NOT a sign that a lost hunter passed through a thick spruce briar patch, aside from footprints?

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When assessing signs that a hunter moved through thick briars, focus on evidence that shows direct contact with the vegetation and ground as a person pushed through. Fresh scat near a path is not a reliable indicator of human passage; it’s more typical of animals, and it doesn’t prove a hunter went through the briar patch. In contrast, broken twigs or freshly snapped branches with light-colored wood indicate recent breakage from someone moving through—the wood hasn’t had time to darken or weather, so it points to recent human contact. Overturned rocks or disturbed moss exposing damp, dark soil underneath suggest that weight and movement disturbed the surface in that area, another sign of traversal through the patch. Snagged clothing fibers, threads, or hair left on thorns or rough bark directly show contact with the briars, likely from brushing against them as the hunter pressed through.