Paw prints, help pls!

[Titans]

Some days ago we saw a ton of paw prints all day. It was inside a National park, no dogs allowed, few people visit that area. Plenty of water was available.

We don’t seem to be able to draw an X, so we are wondering if we saw tracks from a Bobcat or maybe even a Mountain Lion (one was present during a 9 week park lock down earlier in the year).

Can someone please help us identify these tracks? Tagging @Outdoor_Fool for sure!

 

[b.stark]

I'd say mountain lion but I'm not 100% confident in that. I'd confidently say they are feline. Those tracks show the heel pad pretty well.

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Yes do think that these are definitely feline prints also. And very possibly Mountain Lion tracks. From the photos it would seem to be bigger then the average Bobcat tracks. Just my opinion. Wishing you the best!

 

[Yvonne]

definitely kitty tracks but I would stick to bobcat. They look too small for mountain lion

 

[Adr1an]

Thanks for the photos in which your feet are as well - from these is possible to better understand the size of the paws.
Maybe I am wrong, but averagely the mountain lions have paws of around 8-10 cm, while the bobcats have paws of averagely around 4-6 cm. When adults. Looking at the photo where the shoes are too, the paws seem having quite a lot less than 10 cm, so probably they are not of a mountain lion. I don't know what other animals there are there, but if the mountain lions and the bobcats are the only predators in your area then from these photos probably is a bobcat.

Adrian
www.HitchhikingTips.com

 

[Rockskipper]

I'd vote for large bobcat or small mtn lion You can always tell feline from canine as felines retract their claws. If @Kmatjhwy says lion, it probably is, as she would know better than most of us, having spent so much time outdoors.

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Now Rockskipper, this is what I was thinking. A large Bobcat or a small Mountain Lion. Am judging by the prints when he had his hand next to the prints, maybe 3 inches in diameter. So was thinking maybe a small Mountain Lion at that diameter. Have seen occasionally cat tracks this same size on a number of occasions that are like 3 inches or so in diameter. And when I do see them that size, do think of maybe a small Mountain Lion.

Bobcat tracks are normally only 2 inches, maybe 2 and a half inches wide. But by his hand the tracks seem to be maybe 3 inches or so in width. Unless he has small hands. So a Mountain Lion tracks can be this small at 3 to 3 and a half inches in width. One site on the web said Mountain Lion tracks can be 3 to 5 inches in width. And because judging from his hand, the tracks to be near or bigger then 3 inches in diameter ...then would say a small Mountain Lion personally.

Now it could be a large Bobcat but the tracks to me appear larger then 2 to 2 And a half inches in diameter. This is by judging the tracks in the photos when next to his hand. But not the shoe prints for shoes and people's feet so vary in size and we don't know the size of the shoe prints. If he had put a quarter next to the track prints then that would have helped. Just my opinion.

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

Definitely a cat, the toe pads are not symmetrical longitudinally, the front edge of the foot pad has 2 front bumps. I assume this was a southern desert park, which are home to the smallest subspecies of mountain lion in N America, hence smaller tracks. I'd go with mountain lion, bobcat tracks are not typically a whole lot bigger than a large house cat.

 

[OwenM]

Mountain lion definitely gets my vote.
Below is from a good-sized bobcat(2.5"). ^^^those look much larger.

 

[Titans]

Thanks everyone!!!
This sounds weird, but it kind of felt like we were being watched all day long. Never seen so many tracks in one day. The biggest paw prints were close to where we parked.

 

[Titans]

We saw lots of paw prints yesterday, so after @regehr was there, something else followed his tracks.
What do you all think?Feline tracks, probably a Bobcat?

 

[scatman]

Definitely a cat track.

 

[gnwatts]

It looks like a juvenile mountain lion. We see them now and then, as well as bobcats. This is bigger than a bobcat, IMO.

 

[John Morrow]

It looks like a juvenile mountain lion. We see them now and then, as well as bobcats. This is bigger than a bobcat, IMO.

View attachment 104746

Diagram explains it better than words, clearly mtn lion

 

[Jackson]

I had no idea bobcats had such small paws. Awesome illustration.

 

[Titans]

Could use some help identifying pls?

 

[Jackson]

I'm going with fox on this one. I'll wait for the experts to weigh in though.

Nice Altras!

 

[Titans]

I'm going with fox on this one. I'll wait for the experts to weigh in though.

Nice Altras!

@Jackson - I love the Altras LonePeak (thanks to @Ugly for the encouragement!). Just shifted into a new pair after 7 weeks of hiking, could have gone longer, but I would like some new cushioning again. Rick started with a new pair of Hoka Speedgoats with Vibram sole, the soles were much more worn, but he also adds some running miles.
It has taken some months to adjust this summer after hiking for years in the very heavy Merrell Moab with 11 mm drop .

 

[Outdoor_Fool]

Definitely a canid. Hard to determine the scale so not sure if coyote or fox.
Any other human tracks around? If so, might be domestic.

 

[Titans]

Definitely a canid. Hard to determine the scale so not sure if coyote or fox.
Any other human tracks around? If so, might be domestic.

Okay thanks. No other human tracks in that wash. So probably a fox or Coyote then.