Name this Beast

Taking a walk on the other side of the mountain from the cabin and found these prints. Any ideas what they may be, cause they sure aren't deer hooves!

No dogs around either!

And another

#5

#4

How big are they? Sometimes if you just lay a dollar bill down it gives perspective.
Size will help eliminate, I think I have a "Scats and footprints" book around here someplace.
Sidney

LOL
It looks like my Great dane prints.....

My DH says it's a wolf track. Here's a good link - http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/natcul/natcul18_E.asp

This message was edited Mar 5, 2005 3:12 PM

Cougar?
:) Donna

I was also going to suggest cougar... and here's an interesting link:

http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

Well, I think the first looks canine, wolf.
The others are hard to tell.
sidney
Forgot to thank TF for that great site.

This message was edited Mar 5, 2005 5:17 PM

We are thinking coyote as I have seen one up there last year. However, did hear a mountain lion last year also.
Prints were about 4 1/2" long should have put something down as a measure, good idea for next time.
Great links and very informative.

Looking at the photos and then the links, the toes are teardropped shape which makes me inclined to say mountain lion, which is what I heard up there last year.
But looking at the size of the print of 4 1/2" now believe Plantmadness Dh is right, we got a wolf up in those mountains.

This message was edited Mar 5, 2005 5:55 PM

My guess is canine.

I think cat prints don't have the nail part visible.

I was just gunna say that
felines retract their nails when walking
Canines leave nail marks

Thanks, discovered that in the link chik, just can't tell with the snow if those are nail marks or tearshaped prints.

Could it be bear tracks? It does look like nail marks.

I wondered bear at 4 & 1/2 inches. I remember following abear one night. I thought it was a larde black dog until it kicked its paws up running.
Directly towards my house, we knew it was NO dog.
Where did the prints lead to?
Sidney

Not similar to bear tracks which have toe prints horizontally and the pad behind them much like a human print, I think.
The prints were on the other side of the mountain and didn't lead anywhere of interest and they stopped or I lost track of them after a short distance.

Coyote?

Don't panic. Sure it's not the BIG Beagle next door? LOL

Coyote prints are smaller only about 2 1/2", however hard to tell with the snow melt. I have jumped up coyote up there so it is a possibility. Just the shape looks more like cat than canine.
LOL Aloha, don't spend much time in the remote mountains do you? Must admit never saw those sorts of prints on the beach in Hawaii! LOL, not dogs in that area of the woods, mostly deer and something obviously chasing the deer. Last fall there were 2 demised deer right around our cabin up there, unfortunately one was our "pet" piebald.

Ohhh, how sad.

Curiously interesting, haighr .. but definitely not any big cat tracks! ..

And if by chance, that you guys were to venture upon such a fresh cat print - I strongly urge folks to remain close together, keeping all eyes peeled, and selves armed, and well aware of your surroundings - for the feline would've long circled back around ... and watchin' you!

Please be careful guys!

- Magpye

Thanks for the tips magpye. We hear a cat up there last year, I heard it first, then Tim then Steve and he is almost deaf, one of those gutteral, cat growls. Steve always takes a rifle with him in the woods, unfortunately I must admit I am usually armed with a walkie talkie and camera and walking stick.
Will be careful and may start taking a pistol with me also.

Un-huh, see, this is the exact reason I live in Iowa. We may not have mountains, but when I'm out walking in the woods I can pretty much be sure that I'm at the top of the food chain. :) Ok, I should qualify this by saying that because of the seemingly un-checked explosion of white-tail deer in Iowa there have been more four legged preditors wandering into the state. I envy those of you with the beautiful mountains and lakes, but not your big fur-baren critters. Please be safe when out walking, ok?

Diann
IA Z5a

I'll be careful, I have walked those woods many times alone and always try to make enough racket to scare anything in my path, like the coyote I jumped up one time.
Must admit the one time I was edgy was last fall, Tim shot a buck on the other side, I went down to check it out. Meantime he left to go back to the cabin to get the trailer for the ATV and I sat there on a stump near the buck, and where it had been gutted and it was a dreary drizzly morn. All I had was the walking stick and walkie talkie. Seemed like it took him forever to get back and I was thinking what a precarious spot I was sitting in as there is also a corn feeder very closeby.
He had gotten himself a soda from the fridge and was about to take a sip when he realized that mom was sitting alone with a dead deer on the other side and he did rush back! LOL, kids!