Help Identifying Possible Cougar Tracks

[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!

[KegRiver]

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.

[tomcat]

Definitely not cougar, probably wolf. Cougar do not drag their heels and generally walk with one foot print in front of another.

[204ruger]

Wolf tracks. You can see the claw marks drag in the snow. Cat tracks won’t have claws out.

[35 whelen]

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

[fordtruckin]

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.

[Desert Eagle]

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.

[MarcG]

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.

[204ruger]

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.

[calgarychef]

I always try and draw an “x” between the toes, and if I can without crossing the pad it’s canine.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...7yi1m3a2PkFdJA

[Saskfly16]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I always try and draw an “x” between the toes, and if I can without crossing the pad it’s canine.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?v...7yi1m3a2PkFdJA

So the upper ones would be cat?


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[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Saskfly16

So the upper ones would be cat?


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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.

[Savage Bacon]

We spent quite a few years tracking cougars. This is a fresh set of tracks you can use for a reference.

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[204ruger]

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.

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Lol. Alley cat tracks look similar.