Wolf or cat?

[pens fan]

Only one set of tracks following along a cattle trail. North Huckleberry near 231.

[haugenna]

K9. Possibly wolf

[pens fan]

This is away from any houses. No large dogs around. My first thought was a lab but its private property.

[haugenna]

Only one set?

[JimmyHoffa]

looks like cougar to me.  Hind foot.

[haugenna]

looks like cougar to me.  Hind foot.

The more I look at it out of zoom it looks kitty ish

[pens fan]

Yeah. Only one set. No deer seen all day.

[csaaphill]

what is that? about 3 inches wide? wolf I think might be a bit bigger cat Couger would or should be 5 inches wide or so, but if young maybe.? Coyote?
any droppings?

[heronblu]

That is a cougar track, and it's actually two tracks (the hind slightly behind and on top of the front).

[mfswallace]

That is a cougar track, and it's actually two tracks (the hind slightly behind and on top of the front).

  Really, so sure from a sht pic and description... Better than me 

[heronblu]

That is a cougar track, and it's actually two tracks (the hind slightly behind and on top of the front).

  Really, so sure from a sht pic and description... Better than me 

I've had a bit of practice: http://trackercertification.com/tracker-certificates/ I'm level 3 going for my Specialist in Oct.

[csaaphill]

  1st one is a cougar
seconds a wolf
3rds obviously a coyote  paw
I say cougar now after looking at these pics

[bowhunterforever]

Cougar

[JimmyHoffa]

looks like cougar to me.  Hind foot.

The more I look at it out of zoom it looks kitty ish

Yeah, for the canines generally I've seen that the middle toes tend to be really similar and positioned almost identically.  For yotes, the middle toes are usually way forward in the track compared to everything else.

[ColdnWet]

Cat of some kind, no visible claws, probably lynx, bobcat or baby cougar

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[mountainman]

Cougar for sure

[The Gobble-stopper]

Cat of some kind, no visible claws, probably lynx, bobcat or baby cougar

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I ditto that! No claws showing, it has been my experience, that all cats show no claw marks, canines do...

[heronblu]

Cat of some kind, no visible claws, probably lynx, bobcat or baby cougar

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I ditto that! No claws showing, it has been my experience, that all cats show no claw marks, canines do...

In deeper substrates it isn't uncommon to find claws register in cat tracks as they will use them for added traction. Foot morphology is a far better indicator of species type.

[The Gobble-stopper]

Lesson learned. I realize there are exceptions. Still as you do , I believe it is a cat track.

[villageidiot]

Flat ground, no toenails, cat.   Before letting the hounds go should find more tracks to make sure.

[Okanagan]

Yep, the original photo shows a cougar track and pretty clearly so. 

FWIW a cougar hind foot below.  One toe is longer than the others, much like the fingers on a man's hand, and you can tell whether the track is from the left or right foot.  The heel has three lobes, which show up faintly in the pic that started this thread, but are clearly there. 



A northern wolf track below.  Canines tend to show claws strongly, and the two front toes are of equal length or close to it rather than one significantly longer than the other like a cat.   You can see the track better if you squint.



Below is a cougar track showing at least one claw.  Claws showing or not is not an always or never proof with wild animals.  As someone already said, the depth and nature of the tracking medium can make the difference in whether a claw shows.  So can steepness of terrain, whether the animal is running, walking, turning, adding traction... all make a difference in whether a cat will extend claws that show in a  track.   Likewise canines can fail to show a claw due to several factors.   



And for comparison, a lynx track below.  In shallow snow or light dust, a lynx usually shows a slightly fuzzy "halo" around the track caused by the fur around its foot.  You can also see the lynx track clearer in this photo if you squint.   The pattern made by several consecutive tracks is the surest distinction to me between a smallish cougar and a lynx.  A single track may be harder to identify.   



The bottom of a lynx foot shown below.