Joe, I am in NE Oregon now, between The Dalles and Hermiston, so it is [size=small](usually)[/size] drier around here. We still can come across 'animal digs' but I spent most my life in the greater Portland, Oregon metro area and along with an ample amount of 'wet' they also have a lot of mole hole activity. It seemed like every year I could chance upon at least a few that I would detect and be rewarded, especially hunting the larger and older parks. Often I would work several of the old parks just to seek out 'mole mounds.' Not always productive, but it only takes a couple a day to cough up something old and interesting to make it entertaining.
I started searching mole mounds and other animal digs shortly after I started detecting when I wanted to sample working the BFO's in our yard, which was rather good sized, and the only available dirt away from my mother's garden were the exposed mole mounds. When some would 'signal' while others didn't, it was an early learning experience that I never forgot, and that was in the latter '60s.
Moles, badgers, rabbits, coyotes, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, and all sorts of critters dig holes. If it is any site that has/has had human activity, it's time to search the signs of the animal's disturbance. For decades I have encouraged anyone and everyone to be sure to check out diggings. A good friend of mine in Utah was encouraged to on our drive out to a ghost town. We got there and she hurriedly got her detector out and walked along a pathway through the business district out toward where the old general store and school once stood, but never drifted off the pathway.
When I was up-and-running I wanted to search the same general area and was 'working my way' her direction by searching as I went. I noticed her footprints didn't stray from the path, and itI went past an old cellar-hole with an almost vertical dirt 'wall' or side, but it had a fairly fresh 'animal dig' that left an exposed hole, and a lot of obviously fresh dug dirt tossed out. Not like I had seen there about 10-15 days earlier, so I stepped down into the old hole and scanned that fresh batch of dirt.
It only produced one coin, but when I got to her and asked why she didn't go hunt the fresh dig she kind of shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn't any big deal. Really! I responded and after she started detecting she paused with a hesitation and turned to me an asked if she missed anything? I showed here the 1857 Seated Liberty 10¢ she could have had to get the day started.
Yep, you did well by checking out the dig and I hope you'll continue to do that. They can be as rewarding as any man-caused renovation work, removing an old building, or other dig-and-disturb activity. Your old 'V' nickel might be a bit worn, bit I never turn down any old coin or small artifact I find. Congratulations!
Monte