Footprint Identification

[Joshua Szulecki]

It has been snowing here about once a week. After the lastest scheduled storm, we noticed some footprints that didn't belong to us or our dogs in the snow around the house. The animal made a full circle of the house, passing under the deck (suggesting it isn't huge, as the deck is only a few feet tall, maybe 2-3ft), and following the walkway/sidewalk for part of it's journey.

Okay... I stink at footprint ID, but I'm fairly sure these are from a medium-sized dog, based on the behavior shown in the track, and the fact that I can see nails. But, because we have black bears, coyotes, the pet/child eating kind of cat, and New Yorkers roaming around here that could eat my small dog, can somebody who is better at footprint ID check these photos out. They suck. Snow is hard to photograph, especially when you aren't wearing a coat, and are using sprinkles to bring out contrast.

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=889968

[trailtigger]

May be a coyote as the snow will do the same as mud and make an imprint look larger than what it really is. Let me also tell you that I live in Centreville and on two occasions have had a wolf cross in front of me in broad day (dirt road where there had been a lot of logging going on) light no more than 20 yards in front me. I know that may sound crazy to some but  I know a wolf when I see one. My wife and kids and I saw a dead black bear on the side of a main road two months before the game dept declared that there were black bears in Westblocton.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I've seen many Coyotes in Alabama. There were generally two to three of them per week dead on the side of 280 where it climbs the mountain between the Wal-marts. I've never seen one here around my folks house in New York, but I know they are here.

[Old Hickory]

It is hard to tell for sure from your pic because of the snow. What you need to look for is whether or not the toenails were very close together, or spread out.

A coyote leaves a very distinctive track. The most noticeable feature of a coyote track is the two prominent toenails. They are located much more closely together than a domestic dogs. If it were left in mud or dirt, it would be easier to tell for sure.

Here is a coyote track (notice the toenails):

Footprint Identification

Edited to add:

Try looking for scat. Coyote scat will have a large percentage of hair in it compared to dog scat.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Thanks for the tips Old Hickory.

You can see in this picture that there are nails, but you can't really get a good idea of how far apart they are. I'll keep an eye out for new tracks, especially as the snow melts, because the backyard here is still grassless.

[Lesley]

Canine of some kind for sure. Coyote vs. stray dog is beyond my educated guess.

[WolfVanZandt]

There have been timber wolves set loose in Alabama and some have formed stable breeding pairs, so, yes, there are wolves in Alabama and they seem to be smart enough to stay away from humans. The bears are most certainly very secretive although, when they were building some bridges down near Mobile, they had to put up bear crossing signs (that made me do a double take!) because there was a family of black bears that would come out of the woods and watch the construction crew.

[trailtigger]

There have been timber wolves set loose in Alabama and some have formed stable breeding pairs, so, yes, there are wolves in Alabama and they seem to be smart enough to stay away from humans. The bears are most certainly very secretive although, when they were building some bridges down near Mobile, they had to put up bear crossing signs (that made me do a double take!) because there was a family of black bears that would come out of the woods and watch the construction crew.

THANK YOU .... THANK YOU!!!!!! I knew I wasnt completely crazy. I had heard that there had been some released but havent heard very much about it.

[WolfVanZandt]

Actually, I know some of the people personally who have done the releasing. Can't say I completely agree with what they did, but I'm not going to judge. And it's done so let's see how it goes.

[Haveuseen1]

The track in the snow is one of the hardest tracks to "positively" identify.  I have trapped, hunted, and observed wildlife nearly my entire 38 years.  The toenail I.D. of a coyote track is always questionable.  If you will take a look at a domestic dogs paw they typically have long toenails on all toes, but not always.  Some owners trim them, some dogs chew them etc...

I would welcome the "reliable" information that shows that Alabama has released Timber Wolves.

I could just as easily agree that the track could be a dog or a coyote.  And coyotes are just about everywhere.  I seem them on a regular basis in Research Park in Huntsville.  They are a true nusiance and are doing their best to eliminate the foxes, bobcats, and other natural predators we have.

As far as Bears, I have seen them and they can be found mainly in far south Alabama, although I have seen them in Tuscaloosa county as well.  And last year one was found in Athens I believe ( although it was a little lost ).

I love a track, as it always creates a good mystery.  I will vote coyote, and wouldnt worry at all. 

-CB

[Joshua Szulecki]

I should remind everybody that these tracks are in New York (near Bear Mountain Bridge/West Point) and not in Alabama, so a dog is somewhat more likely than if we were in Alabama. That said, I followed the tracks for a while, and based on the behavior I'm fairly certain that this WAS a coyote. This animal was working far to hard to remain unseen, at least based on the tracks, than any neighborhood dog would have bothered to do.

In Alabama I've seen coyotes dead, but never alive. I've heard them, seen their tracks, but like armadillos, I've never seen one alive. I've also seen bear scat in a few places in N. Alabama. My biggest shock, animal wise, was on a solo-bushwhack in the Eagle Creek drainage. I look down into the stream, and see what I thought was a mutated turtle's head. I went to get my camera out, and out runs an otter. It gave me a look of shear loathing, and took off down the creekbed. First and only time I've ever seen one.