Author Topic: Animal Tracks (Read 30214 times)

JimB · « **Reply #20 on:** January 09, 2016, 04:47:11 AM »

Quote from: ejclark on January 08, 2016, 08:26:28 PM

That print is too big to be a coyote. I got my tape measure out. If the cork handle is 5 inches, that print is 4 1/2 inches easy.

I wanted to be sure I wasn't leading anyone astray with the size nor exaggerating (since I was making an educated guess) myself so I measured the inside the handles on my trekking poles. They are about 4 & 5/8ths inches. Not sure how much that matters

Vicki · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2016, 01:30:07 PM »

Going by the coyote tracks I've seen and our large labs 3 1/4" prints, I'm guessing wolf also.

colporteur · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2016, 02:46:38 PM »

Quote from: Vicki on January 09, 2016, 01:30:07 PM

Going by the coyote tracks I've seen and our large labs 3 1/4" prints, I'm guessing wolf also.

The video I watched they said coyote 4 " wolf 5" inches. 4 5/8 " sounds like big coyote small wolf. 1/2 inch is pretty close call.

JimB · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2016, 08:14:02 AM »

I didn't consider a coyote as possibility until Cp brought it up. At the time I assumed it was a lone wolf or a large domestic dog. However, it's more exciting for me say that it's a wolf

So until you can prove me wrong that is what it is.

Time for another one?

JimB · « **Reply #24 on:** January 10, 2016, 11:11:51 AM »

Ok here is the next one. Again this is the eastern side of Michigan's UP early September. This picture was taken about 3 or 4 miles from the nearest lake. I can't think of anymore needed clues. If you have questions ask them. Click to enlarge.

ejclark · « **Reply #25 on:** January 10, 2016, 12:16:05 PM »

I'm really enjoying stretching my brain on these.

At first I thought it might be a goose or some other water fowl, but I believe these tracks were made my a four footed critter, not a two footed. My guess is a large snapping turtle. Soft Shell.....Alligator Snapper.....could be either one. Or maybe up there you have another variety.

colporteur · « **Reply #26 on:** January 10, 2016, 02:51:23 PM »

I think it is a wolf.

Seriously, It's a Ford.

Could be a turtle. Where does the track lead ? It looks like the bottom is dragging because the car tracks are smoothed out or gone between the two rows of tracks. It could be snapper or a badger. I don't think a goose would drag bottom that hard and they are seldom all alone.

ejclark · « **Reply #27 on:** January 10, 2016, 03:51:49 PM »

I didn't notice that the belly of that critter was dragging the ground. So it would not be a snapping turtle, it's my fat little wiener dog.

colporteur · « **Reply #28 on:** January 10, 2016, 04:00:15 PM »

I don't think a shell would have to do more than tickle the sand to remove the car tracks. Whatever it is, it looks like it moves slow. Notice that the tracks are 1-2 space.... 1-2 space. It looks like the foot, claw or whatever dug in,... slid back and left both an entry and an exist mark. Maybe he was dragging a suitcase. Am I over analyzing ?

I think it is only fitting that Jim track these animals down so we can have closure.

Vicki · « **Reply #29 on:** January 10, 2016, 04:56:43 PM »

Quote from: ejclark on January 10, 2016, 03:51:49 PM

it's my fat little wiener dog.

The drag and short distance between prints says turtle to me.

JimB · « **Reply #30 on:** January 10, 2016, 07:31:04 PM »

Quote from: Vicki on January 10, 2016, 04:56:43 PM

The drag and short distance between prints says turtle to me.

It does also to me Vicki. When my backpacking buddy and both saw this we both took pictures and wondered why and where it was coming from and going to. At the time I assumed it was an Eastern Box Turtle but if it is it's a very large one. So it could be that EJ is correct in his guess of a snapper. However, we were a long way from a good water source. So while we can't know for certain what kind of turtle it was we know it was a turtle. Just google turtle tracks and you'll see.

Quote from: colporteur on January 10, 2016, 04:00:15 PM

I think it is only fitting that Jim track these animals down so we can have closure.

Don't tempt me Cp! If I could I would but alas those close to me already think I'm crazy for spending days on end in the wilderness.

JimB · « **Reply #31 on:** January 10, 2016, 07:41:15 PM »

Now for our new one. I'm not sure that you guys will get this one, and yes I state that as a challenge as I just learned for myself. Surprise me and show me I'm wrong. Eagle-eye EJ noticed these up in the corner of my first picture. Now here is a close up. Here are the details (not that they will help much). These were not more than 2ft from the water's edge of a very large creek. In mud with about the consistency of toothpaste on December 31st. My camera has a really nice macro mode so these look larger than they are. They are probably a hair smaller than the fingernail on my pinky finger.

As always click to enlarge.

ejclark · « **Reply #32 on:** January 10, 2016, 07:52:56 PM »

Quote from: Vicki on January 10, 2016, 04:56:43 PM

Quote from: ejclark on January 10, 2016, 03:51:49 PM
it's my fat little wiener dog.

The drag and short distance between prints says turtle to me.

Yeah, I was just making fun of my fat little wiener dog.
It would be a turtle, but not a snapper, their legs are so long they don't drag their belly, but they do drag their tail frequently and I'm not seeing any tail marks so it's probably a soft shell. They drag their belly.

colporteur · « **Reply #33 on:** January 10, 2016, 08:16:33 PM »

That looks like frogs to me, Jim.

Vicki · « **Reply #34 on:** January 11, 2016, 07:25:33 AM »

Desert dweller here, I've never seen a frog track. I looked them up and it would appear that the toes would be different lengths if it were a frog?

Mouse was my guess before I saw a closeup. However, mice out here leave a tail drag print which is distinctly missing, so, probably, not a mouse.

I have no idea what it is.

colporteur · « **Reply #35 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:07:24 AM »

Quote from: Vicki on January 11, 2016, 07:25:33 AM

Desert dweller here, I've never seen a frog track. I looked them up and it would appear that the toes would be different lengths if it were a frog?

Mouse was my guess before I saw a closeup. However, mice out here leave a tail drag print which is distinctly missing, so, probably, not a mouse.

I have no idea what it is.

I was not thinking a track but it looks a lot like two frogs in or under the mud. After enlarging it doesn't look as much that way. However it almost appears like a leaf or some kind of seed pod in the mud. Not sure it is a track. Maybe the crocodile hunter could unearth that one and see if it is something tangible.

Richard Myers · « **Reply #36 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:01:06 AM »

Don't frogs have webbed feet?

colporteur · « **Reply #37 on:** January 11, 2016, 12:21:51 PM »

Quote from: Richard Myers on January 11, 2016, 10:01:06 AM

Don't frogs have webbed feet?

Yah, but I don't think you are seeing what I am seeing. It looks somewhat like an entire small frog under the mud. Two of them. The mud would cover over the web part of the very small feet and only the high points would raise the mud. However, like I said, it looks less like a pair of small frogs when you enlarge the picture. Look at the one at the top of the page and enlarge. It looks kind of on the order of some kind of seed pod or something. Are those things indented .... or raised ?

Vicki · « **Reply #38 on:** January 12, 2016, 09:51:12 AM »

I thought they looked raised, too but photography has a way to fool the eye so assumed indented. I didn't think to enlarge it previously. Enlarged it looks like an entire frog, although the bottom one looks a bit relaxed to be alive.

Jim, did you poke it?

Vicki · « **Reply #39 on:** January 12, 2016, 09:52:38 AM »

Oh, wait, he said it was the size of his little fingernail. No way is it an entire frog.