Not all hooves are created equal, as we quickly realized on a recent outing to a nearby state park. It was a bright, snowy day on the trails when we encountered a pair of animal tracks that appeared to be from a medium-sized animal, which, based on the wildlife population of the area, we attributed to deer. That was until we were stopped in our tracks by a large, antlered elk. Luckily, the encounter didn’t turn into an episode of Man vs. Beast,” but it did teach us a lesson—know your tracks!
Besides remembering to pay special attention to size, shape and presence or absence of claw marks, one should look for special indicators that distinguish one animal from the next. In an effort to keep you from confusing Whiskers’ paws for those belonging to a wild cheetah, we’ve scrounged up a cheat sheet to help you safe and informed. These are only a few of the animals commonly encountered on most trails, be sure to check with your park’s ranger before braving uncharted territories.
Mountain Lion
Look closely for gait (distance between steps) and the presence of claws, as mountain lions tend to overstep and leave tracks without claws. Mountain lion tracks have a large, m-shaped palm pad, which has two lobes towards the front of the pad and three lobes towards the back of the pad. Front tracks are generally larger, wider, and show a lead toe, as seen in this photo. These are not too be confused with large dog tracks, which also have a palm pad print.
Deer
The shape of the deer track varies somewhat with the type of ground on which the animal lives. If you find yourself in the woodlands, look for slightly pointed toes. If you’re on rocky terrain, deer tracks you encounter will be worn down to blunt tips. How to tell a deer from its fawn? Generally the length of an adult deer track is between 2 3/8 and 3 1/4 inches long, while a fawn’s track is 1 3/8 inches long.
Coyote
The easiest way to identify a coyote is to notice the discrepancy between the size of its front foot and hind foot. Front tracks are typically no larger than 2 ¾ inches while the hind tracks are slightly smaller. Depending on the surface, coyotes may or may not show claws. If you’re unsure as to whether you’ve spotted dog tracks or coyote tracks, pay close attention to symmetry, as coyotes tend to walk in a straighter line. than those of dogs. Nail marks also are less prominent and the tracks tend to follow a straight line more closely than those of dogs.
Black Bears
Bears are flat-footed, creatures of habit. They travel along the same trails for generations and so they tend to step in exactly the same place. The bear’s “big toe” actually happens to be its inner toe, not the outer one as with human feet. The bear’s stride can range anywhere from 36 inches to 42 inches.
Posted by Katie Boué on January 27, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Very cool article, I always love checking out the different animal prints along my snowy hikes. I’m pretty good at raccoon and deer tracks, and prairie dogs (but mostly because they’re only leading to/from the prairie dog dens, haha).