Bobcat tracks?

[slavenoid]

Ran across these today. First time I found some kind of predator tracks and blood so it peaked my interest.

[slavenoid]

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[slavenoid]

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[Jonathan_S]

Look like young lion tracks to me.

Those are quite a bit bigger than the tracks from a 40# tom I caught earlier in the year 

[WapitiTalk1]

Sure looks like bobcat tracks to me.  Seems Mr. Kitty had a snack....

[bearpaw]

Definite lion tracks, way to big for bobcat. 

[Jonathan_S]

Even a grown bobcat has dainty feet.  the spacing of those toes doesn't look right for a bobcat anyway.

[BKMFR]

Cougar all the way, to big for Bobcat.

[slavenoid]

The reason I thought bobcat was because his tracks ended at a down tree. I found no tracks on the tree or on the other side. It looked like it crawled underneath the tree in a tiny little opening and traveled parallel under the tree. I could have easily missed something though 

[WapitiTalk1]

It "may" be a very young/small cougar but my guess is still bobcat.  That snooz can is about 2 1/2" wide for comparison.  Remember, those tracks will appear a big larger than live in the soft snow.   

[boneaddict]

Young Lion

[WAcoyotehunter]

Cougar all the way, to big for Bobcat.

yep

[KFhunter]

I could be a lynx,  how hard was the snow when it was made?  I've come across lynx tracks and they look like poof ball tracks due to all the hair on their feet, the gait is different than a mt lion with the tracks spaced close together...the body's on a lynx are much shorter than a lion, so the gait is compressed compared to a lion which is spread way out with the long body.


It's not bobcat, too big.  Without seeing a gait I know it's a Cougar sized track and it's for sure 100% feline.


It doesn't seem heavy enough for a mt. lion unless it's starved and weighs next to nothing.   Or the snow was hard.

try to include a gait with track pictures, that helps as much as a close up shot of the toes and pads.

I'll include a lynx tracks below, without a gait for reference it can be difficult to tell from a cougar or a lynx other than weight, lion being 4 to 8 times the weight of a lynx with nearly the same size feet.

[WapitiTalk1]

A cougar track is roughly 4+" wide and would look bigger in the soft snow.  I'm still saying it's a bob kitty using the snuff can as a comparison. 

[KFhunter]

I don't have a snuff can, but I got a bob in the back of my truck I could measure the track?

appears to be about 1 1/8 inches across, don't think I've ever seen a bobcat track go over 2 inches across...damn sure not 3+   

[WapitiTalk1]

I don't have a snuff can, but I got a bob in the back of my truck I could measure the track?

appears to be about 1 1/8 inches across

Well, that about does that (can't argue with a cat in the truck) .  OK, I'll concede.... probably a small lion then.   

[KFhunter]

most likely a small lion with a slim to none chance of it being a lynx 

[WapitiTalk1]

I was just reflecting on my years in Montana where we actually had snow every year.  Seems if my old memory serves, the lion tracks were always 4" or wider, and, the B cat tracks were around 2" wide.  Oh ya, there were those big fuzzy footed lynx prints that always screamed "put a set here, put a set here... now" 

[horsehunter509]

I just measured the foot on a 20 lb female bobcat that I have tanned and hanging on the wall and it is just over 2 inches. I could easily see a bigger Male bobcat being 3 inches

[WapitiTalk1]

I just measured the foot on a 20 lb female bobcat that I have tanned and hanging on the wall and it is just over 2 inches. I could easily see a bigger Male bobcat being 3 inches

Yes!  I'm back in the guessing contest 

[Okanagan]

Have seen a fair number of lion tracks smaller than 4” across, some considerably smaller.  They are born little and grow to 4” or bigger.    My first impression was that the track in the original query is cougar.

However...  gait and length of stride is the only way I can tell a young lion from a big bobcat sometimes.  Smaller lion tracks are usually with a momma but not always.  For many reasons a younger cougar may be on its own.

The photo below is of the second largest bobcat track I've noticed.  The cartridge in the photo is a hand-loaded .243 with a 95 grain Nosler Partition loaded long.  Standard .243 is 2.7 inches so call this one 2 ¾ inches.  Sorry that I don't have photos of its gait, but it was a bobcat, no doubt.  Afterthought:  it was not a lynx.  It was coastal, far from lynx country.  I have tracked many lynx and this was not lynx.

[slavenoid]

Snow was hard so I could only find those two clear tracks. The two tracks we're about 100 yards apart with only the blood trail in the middle and faint  possible tracks.

[lewy]

Original tracks are lion 

[Humptulips]

most likely a small lion with a slim to none chance of it being a lynx 

Zero chance of it being a lynx if near Yacolt.
Two things make that a cougar track. First the size, way to big for a bobcat. The second is the weight. That snow is crusty and the track is not melted out meaning it was made on that crusty snow. That would take some weight. I doubt a bobcat would even leave a print on that type snow.

[boneaddict]

Zero chance of Lynx period.   It’s a young Lion.

[cbond3318]

Since I had the same wonderings this last weekend, what say you on these? Single set , no companion. Soft fresh snow. I originally convinced myself Bobcat but now I wonder.

[idaho guy]

Original picture definitely lion I think yours is a small lion too cbond pretty small though

[Oh Mah]

Were there by any chance any sign of the tail hitting the soft snow anywhere in the tracks cbond?Reason i ask is if cougar its a small one tail should drag on the snow even more than a large cougar.If no tail tracks i'm pretty confident in saying them tracks are bobcat tracks. 

[WapitiTalk1]

Were there by any chance any sign of the tail hitting the soft snow anywhere in the tracks cbond?

No, cuz it had no tail 

[cbond3318]

Were there by any chance any sign of the tail hitting the soft snow anywhere in the tracks cbond?Reason i ask is if cougar its a small one tail should drag on the snow even more than a large cougar.If no tail tracks i'm pretty confident in saying them tracks are bobcat tracks. 

No tail drag. I just thought it strange as small as they were it was by itself. Missed each other by maybe 30 minutes.

[bearpaw]

most likely a small lion with a slim to none chance of it being a lynx 

Toes weren't right for a lynx, it's a lion.

[KFhunter]

Were there by any chance any sign of the tail hitting the soft snow anywhere in the tracks cbond?Reason i ask is if cougar its a small one tail should drag on the snow even more than a large cougar.If no tail tracks i'm pretty confident in saying them tracks are bobcat tracks. 

No tail drag. I just thought it strange as small as they were it was by itself. Missed each other by maybe 30 minutes.

I tracked quite a few lions and see tail marks every so often, but they don't really just lay the tail on the ground and drag it like a bridal train.  Lot of tail marks are the front feet being curled up then drug as they take a new step

I might got some pics brb

[slavenoid]

Thanks guys for the insight. So it would appear my tracks belong to Wapiti's giant bobcat or most likely a choke out size cougar.

[Oh Mah]

Were there by any chance any sign of the tail hitting the soft snow anywhere in the tracks cbond?Reason i ask is if cougar its a small one tail should drag on the snow even more than a large cougar.If no tail tracks i'm pretty confident in saying them tracks are bobcat tracks. 

No tail drag. I just thought it strange as small as they were it was by itself. Missed each other by maybe 30 minutes.

I tracked quite a few lions and see tail marks every so often, but they don't really just lay the tail on the ground and drag it like a bridal train.  Lot of tail marks are the front feet being curled up then drug as they take a new step

I might got some pics brb

I agree 100% but if there are tail tracks it rules out bobcat. 

[KFhunter]

mine are all mt lion

[Humptulips]

Thanks guys for the insight. So it would appear my tracks belong to Wapiti's giant bobcat or most likely a choke out size cougar.

I think it is a mistake to even call this a small cougar. Look at the snow conditions. That is some hard snow. Just the toe pads are breaking through. A lot of difference from soft snow prints where you see the entire outline. If that cat stepped in some powder the track would look ginormous.

[slavenoid]

Thanks guys for the insight. So it would appear my tracks belong to Wapiti's giant bobcat or most likely a choke out size cougar.

I think it is a mistake to even call this a small cougar. Look at the snow conditions. That is some hard snow. Just the toe pads are breaking through. A lot of difference from soft snow prints where you see the entire outline. If that cat stepped in some powder the track would look ginormous.

That makes total sense. I don't know why that wasn't more obvious to me.

[crowinghen]

Ran across these today. First time I found some kind of predator tracks and blood so it peaked my interest.

Grizzly.
Says right there on the can.

[idaho guy]

Thanks guys for the insight. So it would appear my tracks belong to Wapiti's giant bobcat or most likely a choke out size cougar.

I think it is a mistake to even call this a small cougar. Look at the snow conditions. That is some hard snow. Just the toe pads are breaking through. A lot of difference from soft snow prints where you see the entire outline. If that cat stepped in some powder the track would look ginormous.

I agree I don’t think original picture is a “small” lion track. It’s definitely not a big one but not necessarily small either

[The Marquis]

Ran across these today. First time I found some kind of predator tracks and blood so it peaked my interest.

Grizzly.
Says right there on the can.

 

[bearpaw]

Thanks guys for the insight. So it would appear my tracks belong to Wapiti's giant bobcat or most likely a choke out size cougar.

I think it is a mistake to even call this a small cougar. Look at the snow conditions. That is some hard snow. Just the toe pads are breaking through. A lot of difference from soft snow prints where you see the entire outline. If that cat stepped in some powder the track would look ginormous.

Bingo, somebody that knows tracks! You are right on the money!