Guide

Animal tracks: how to tell who walked here

A track tells you what passed, which way it went, and often how long ago. Five quick checks sort out most prints you will find in mud, sand or snow.

Common Raccoon track — A real photo taken in the US. Credit is under Photo credits below.

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The five checks

Count the toes. Deer and other hoofed animals leave two pointed toes. Dogs, coyotes, foxes and cats leave four. Raccoons, opossums, bears and beavers leave five.
Look for claw marks. Dogs, coyotes and foxes show small claw dots in front of the toes. Cats pull their claws in, so bobcat and house cat prints are usually clawless and rounder.
Measure it. A ruler or a dollar bill (just over 6 inches long) beside the print beats a guess, and a photo with something for size is far easier to check later.
Read the pattern, not one print. Rabbits land with the big back feet ahead of the small front ones. Deer walk in a near straight line. Raccoons show a hand-like print beside a foot-like one.
Check the edges. Crisp edges and sharp details mean fresh. Rounded, crumbled or rained-in edges mean hours or days old.

Why it matters

The US Army survival manual tells you to look for runs and trails, tracks and droppings to learn which animals live in an area. Trails that many animals share often lead to water and feeding spots. A fresh line of large prints is also a good reason to make noise, keep food packed, and give the animal room.