Help Wanted: Are these mountain lion tracks?

[Devin]

Howdy folks,

I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me whether or not these are from a mountain lion?
Took the pic in Ernie's Country in the Maze last September (2024), in a side canyon with no sign of any recent human activity.
Saw them cross the wash in a few other places, but this was the clearest set.

(I've never felt confident about ID'ing prints, but in my mind, due to their size, they were definitely mountain lion, and they put a spring in my step. haha).

I hope you all are having a good one.

 

[RyanP]

I'm terrible with prints, but I will say that on our trip to the Maze last Spring we saw a coyote one morning (in Ernie's country) and heard coyotes one evening.

 

[balzaccom]

Those do look like puma tracks to me. Coyote or dog prints have clear claw/toe marks, and the ones in your photo do not. Depending on size, they could also be bobcat...

 

[Jorey]

Very hard to tell from photo.

Cat prints have claw mark on the leading toe, and 3 lobes on the bottom of main pad, whereas dog has only 2, for future reference.