|
12-14-2020, 09:15 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 7
|
|
Help Identifying Possible Cougar Tracks
Hi all! I’m new to the forum, and looking to get some input from those who have more experience with cougars. I came across these tracks while pile burning a couple of weeks ago. Location is far Northern Alberta (Mackenzie County). There is the odd cougar sighting here, so they are around, I’ve just never come across one before. I suppose these could be lynx tracks, but they struck me as bigger, deeper, and with a clearer imprint than lynx normally leave. The tracks were quite fresh, not more than 12 hours old would be my guess, and not melted at all. Any experienced opinions as to whether these would be cougar tracks or not would be welcome! Thanks!
Last edited by MarcG; 12-14-2020 at 09:20 PM.
|
12-14-2020, 10:38 PM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcG
Hi all! I’m new to the forum, and looking to get some input from those who have more experience with cougars. I came across these tracks while pile burning a couple of weeks ago. Location is far Northern Alberta (Mackenzie County). There is the odd cougar sighting here, so they are around, I’ve just never come across one before. I suppose these could be lynx tracks, but they struck me as bigger, deeper, and with a clearer imprint than lynx normally leave. The tracks were quite fresh, not more than 12 hours old would be my guess, and not melted at all. Any experienced opinions as to whether these would be cougar tracks or not would be welcome! Thanks!
|
They are not Lynx tracks. A lynx does not drag his foot like that.
I have several photos of Lynx tracks and if it weren't such a bother to upload them to a host site so I could post them I would show you what I mean.
I have never seen a cougar track but my best guess is that is what they are.
I have seen a lot of Lynx tracks. I have trapped a good many Lynx, and I am sure they are not Lynx and not wolf or Coyote. That's the best I can do.
I'm only about an hour south of you and I have heard several reports of Cougar in this area. Including one sighting right in the town of Manning.
But so far I have not seen one or tracks of one.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
12-14-2020, 10:46 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: 100 Mile House BC
Posts: 358
|
|
Definitely not cougar, probably wolf. Cougar do not drag their heels and generally walk with one foot print in front of another.
Last edited by tomcat; 12-14-2020 at 10:59 PM.
|
12-15-2020, 06:06 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 537
|
|
Wolf tracks. You can see the claw marks drag in the snow. Cat tracks won’t have claws out.
|
12-15-2020, 07:36 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: GRAND PRAIRIE
Posts: 5,720
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomcat
Definitely not cougar, probably wolf. Cougar do not drag their heels and generally walk with one foot print in front of another.
|
this
|
12-15-2020, 05:37 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: In the woods
Posts: 9,078
|
|
Cat tracks will not have any claw showing as they walk with them retracted. If you look at the bottom pad, cat's will have 3 lobes on the bottom pad while k9s will have 2.
From the picture I can't tell as the shadow from the glove kind of blurs it out for me.
__________________
You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you’re capable of great violence. If you’re not capable of violence you’re not peaceful, you’re harmless. Important difference.
|
12-15-2020, 07:42 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: GP
Posts: 990
|
|
An easy way to tell:
Hold out your hand, you will have one finger that sticks out more than others. If the tracks match your hand profile, it’s a dog print. If the middle toes are similar length in the print, it’s a cat.
|
12-15-2020, 08:08 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 7
|
|
Some extra details...
Thanks to all for the input! I’ll add a couple of details that seem relevant now. First, I am fairly confident that they were not a canine type track. I won’t saw 100%, but at the time looking at them I was. Also, there were actually two sets of tracks, one in the other. Track A is the one I suspect of being a cougar. Track B was heading in the opposite direction, but stepping in track A’s steps. Track B was certainly canine. I’ll attach a picture and you can clearly see the claw prints. That could account for the drag marks in the snow. Track A and track B were absolutely not the same type of track.
|
12-17-2020, 05:18 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 537
|
|
Print A still wolf in my opinion. Cougar paw pads have two lobes at top and wolf/ canine have one lobe that print appears to only have one.
Just my opinion I’m no wildlife biologist.
|
12-17-2020, 03:24 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 110
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef
|
So the upper ones would be cat?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
12-17-2020, 04:01 PM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Saskfly16
So the upper ones would be cat?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
Actually the X idea is an old wives tale. It doesn't work. It doesn't touch the pad on either 90% of the time.
A lot of expertise is gleaned from the net, from people who got their expertise, , , , , , from the net.
I've done a lot of in the field track observation and this track is not distinct enough for me to say one way or the other.
The snow is clearly fresh fallen and claw marks may not show because of that nore does it show pad formation clearly enough to be sure of anything.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
12-17-2020, 05:33 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,842
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KegRiver
Actually the X idea is an old wives tale. It doesn't work. It doesn't touch the pad on either 90% of the time.
A lot of expertise is gleaned from the net, from people who got their expertise, , , , , , from the net.
I've done a lot of in the field track observation and this track is not distinct enough for me to say one way or the other.
The snow is clearly fresh fallen and claw marks may not show because of that nore does it show pad formation clearly enough to be sure of anything.
|
C’mon keg... you said in your post above that you’ve never seen a cougar track.
I’ve seen many, and had them on my tracks. And I’ve called them in by the way.
I didn’t learn the “x” trick on the net, I learned if from “someone else” another hunter and I’ve tested the idea lots of times, it’s a good general starting point before using all of the other clues that are there. It works.
|
12-17-2020, 09:28 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 51
|
|
Cougar tracks
Sorry I dont want to derail this thread but am wondering if you target catch one in your traps? Do they take a certain type of trap setup to keep it different from any other trapping method? Thank
|
12-17-2020, 09:47 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,936
|
|
Lynx have cold furred feet. Lions are hot and their pads brand into the snow. Lynx weight 25 pounds. Lions weigh 125 pounds.
Sometimes hard to tell the difference. The pics is a lynx breaking through some fresh drifted powder.
|
12-18-2020, 05:12 AM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef
C’mon keg... you said in your post above that you’ve never seen a cougar track.
I’ve seen many, and had them on my tracks. And I’ve called them in by the way.
I didn’t learn the “x” trick on the net, I learned if from “someone else” another hunter and I’ve tested the idea lots of times, it’s a good general starting point before using all of the other clues that are there. It works.
|
I don't doubt you sincerely believe what you say. That doesn't make it true.
Yes I have not seen Cougar tracks but I've tracked hundreds of Wolves and dozens of Lynx plus many other animals.
I also don't doubt you've seen plenty of Cougar tracks, but if you try your trick on the tracks in the link you posted you will find that it does not work on any of them.
The lines do not touch the pad on the tracks you linked to.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
12-18-2020, 05:16 AM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper
Lynx have cold furred feet. Lions are hot and their pads brand into the snow. Lynx weight 25 pounds. Lions weigh 125 pounds.
Sometimes hard to tell the difference. The pics is a lynx breaking through some fresh drifted powder.
|
I think the stride is too long for a lynx but I wouldn't say it's not a lynx track.
Although I don't think it is a Lynx, I agree it can be hard to tell, so I wouldn't rule it out.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
12-18-2020, 09:20 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,842
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by KegRiver
I don't doubt you sincerely believe what you say. That doesn't make it true.
Yes I have not seen Cougar tracks but I've tracked hundreds of Wolves and dozens of Lynx plus many other animals.
I also don't doubt you've seen plenty of Cougar tracks, but if you try your trick on the tracks in the link you posted you will find that it does not work on any of them.
The lines do not touch the pad on the tracks you linked to.
|
I don’t think you’re looking at them right, the x on the canine tracks isn’t a perfect x it’s a much better one than on cat tracks ...it works. But really when you see a cat track you know it’s one, there’s no mistaking it.
|
12-18-2020, 10:02 AM
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,393
|
|
Keg partly touched on and important point to identify tracks. I want to see a number of prints and the length of stride along with alignment of feet. Then you have much better chance to identify tracks with some certainty.
|
12-18-2020, 10:10 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: 100 Mile House BC
Posts: 358
|
|
A cougar track looks just like your house cats track EXCEPT. much larger.
|
12-18-2020, 10:45 AM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Here is why I don't think it's a lynx track.
These are Lynx tracks I photographed over the years..
Note the length of the stride.
If you look closely you can see that with some prints an X drawn from toe to toe would cross part of the pad.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
12-18-2020, 09:01 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,842
|
|
Keg in your linx tracks the x drawn “between” the outside toes goes “through” the pad...dats a cat track.
|
12-19-2020, 12:01 AM
|
|
Gone Hunting
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,343
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by calgarychef
Keg in your linx tracks the x drawn “between” the outside toes goes “through” the pad...dats a cat track.
|
I know it's a cat/Lynx track, I saw the Lynx make them.
You know what, if you want to believe in the X theory, be my quest.
I'll not argue the point with you.
I will only say that if you think you can positively identify a track from one blurry photo I won't be asking you for help in identifying tracks.
If others want to take your word as gospel, that's nothing to me.
__________________
Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
George Bernard Shaw
|
01-05-2021, 01:10 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 60
|
|
Can be tricky but as mentioned cougar tend to leave clearer prints mainly due to less hair on their feet and the greater weight of the cat. Due to the weight a cougar track will sometimes obliterate the bilobing on the front of plantar pad. The best way to differentiate is stride and straddle both of which are smaller for Lynx (72cm, 17.8cm) than cougar (102cm, 20.3cm) respectively. Also a cougar will sometimes let it's tail hit the snow if it is deep. That being said it is tough to say from the pics as the print isn't well defined in the photo and no measurements. Stride does "look" long for a lynx.
When in doubt take some measurements or follow the tracks until you meet the maker.
|
01-05-2021, 02:50 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 103
|
|
If you lay a twig between the outside toes in an x and thy cross through the center of the pad it's a cat. K9 will cross at top or hardly touching the pad. Cougar tracks will show claws in deeper snow. Tracked lots of cats. My guess cougar, if you follow it you can also see where it drops it's tail occasionally, often when they stop and turn to check something out.
|
01-05-2021, 04:10 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,842
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Swamp hunter
If you lay a twig between the outside toes in an x and thy cross through the center of the pad it's a cat. K9 will cross at top or hardly touching the pad. Cougar tracks will show claws in deeper snow. Tracked lots of cats. My guess cougar, if you follow it you can also see where it drops it's tail occasionally, often when they stop and turn to check something out.
|
Yup the “x” works
|
01-05-2021, 08:31 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2007
Location: WMU 303
Posts: 8,535
|
|
I cannot tell from your pictures. Here is a pic I took of a cougar track from the multitude of cougars in the area around me including my back yard.
|
02-09-2021, 10:35 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary-Red Deer area
Posts: 3,438
|
|
We spent quite a few years tracking cougars. This is a fresh set of tracks you can use for a reference.
Sent from my BAH2-W19 using Tapatalk
__________________
I'm not really a licensed bodyman or heavy duty mechanic. I just play one at work.
|
02-09-2021, 01:15 PM
|
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 537
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Savage Bacon
We spent quite a few years tracking cougars. This is a fresh set of tracks you can use for a reference.
Sent from my BAH2-W19 using Tapatalk
|
Lol. Alley cat tracks look similar.
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:45 PM.
|