cat tracks in deep snow

[Conejos]

Guys just lookin for some helpfull tips. Do you know any tricks to quickly identify a lion trail in deep snow. Im used to huntiong in 12 inches of snow but now we got 3 ft and it is tough to identify tracks especially with all the elk and deer moving around. Any tips would help. Good luck and god bless!

[Mike Leonard]

Always get out and test the snow for density and depth. 3 ft. snow that is soft the lion will leave nothing more than a long snake trail from dragging his belly and tail at times thrue it. If it is harder he can walk up on part of it it may be more difficult to determine if it is not an elk. Remember that a dog might break thru where a lion that is even heavier won't that much because of the size of the weight bearing surface of their feet. I am sure you know this but don't look right at the edge of the road if you can see out further becasue you can generally tell it's a lion by the way he comes into tthe roadway and how he goes by brush under limbs and close to the base of the tree. An elk or deer will step out away from it a bit. I know what you mean about deep snow I hate it for finding tracks they can really screw you up. When it gets deep also remember that they will take the path of least resisitance and even though they seldom walk on deer and elk trails at other times they will when it gets deep. I am much more confident in finding lion tracks on bare ground than I am on older deep snow with lots of critter trails in it.

[FullCryHounds]

Your dog should be able to let you know if it is a lion or not. When snow gets that deep around here, the cats head to lower ground.

[Conejos]

Thanks Its been tuff. Waited for snow all year and then got 3 ft all at once. The deer and elk are still here so the lions should be too.

[pete richardson]

well

a bobcat track--- i scoop the snow off the top -

and blow the loose snow thats fallen in, out of track-



sometimes ---this works perfect---


sometimes , just covers your face in snow -




if i have too- just follow it ---eventually it will go under thick trees where there is less snow- or up on a log - or really hugs tigh to a rock or tree




putting a dog on that track i cant identify-

--well ,, ill just say- that wouldnt be my first choice with all the dogs ive hunted with -
but i have done that too

[Nolte]

well

a bobcat track--- i scoop the snow off the top -

and blow the loose snow thats fallen in, out of track-



sometimes ---this works perfect---


sometimes , just covers your face in snow -

I've done this method numerous times with about the same results as pete. I'd hate to count how many times I've came up with a white wash on one of those deals. I've always wondered what someone would think if they came up to a guy on his hands and knees trying to blow out the snow from a track at o dark 30 in the morning.

Really the best way to tell is look at about a bazillion tracks and then you'll notice stride patterns, areas, general characteristics about tracks that will tip you off. One thing that nearly always works is if you look at a cat track it looks too round and wide to be right, for as short of a stride as it has. And it's usually pretty straight line, they usually don't go back/forth like a fox. Best advice I ever got was if you try to make a track a cat track, it's not no matter how you try to convince yourself.

Pretty much after walking the wrong tracks for years, you'll be able to pick them out pretty decent. But it sure helps to have somebody else to verify. I can usually pick out a cat track from a pretty good mess of other stuff. Might not be the same cat you started with but it should be a cat. When all else fails give the dog a chance to figure it out and if he screws up and runs something else, get after him for it.

Note this is all stuff I look for on bobbers. We don't have any big cats to play with.

[FullCryHounds]

Here's how they do it in Utah.

Checking for tracks. jpg

[Brady Davis]

I'm from Utah and all my life I have been left out of the loop on that track finding method! lol. Whatever it takes! LOL

[Ike]

I think we should have ol' FullCryHounds come over to Utah and put on a track finding clinic for the local boys, cause I'm with you B&T, never seen any of the local boys cutting that way.........must be some of those night time cutters using their secrets?

ike

[high desert hounds]

There was a ton of great advice here. The only thing I can ad is look at the back of the track a lion track leaves a very diffrent forearm print than elk or any other animal. Even in deep snow you can recognize a lion track before you ever get out and look. that doesn't mean you shouldn't stop and look at every track it just seems like you will know it when you see it.

[Spokerider]

There was a ton of great advice here. The only thing I can ad is look at the back of the track a lion track leaves a very diffrent forearm print than elk or any other animal. Even in deep snow you can recognize a lion track before you ever get out and look. that doesn't mean you shouldn't stop and look at every track it just seems like you will know it when you see it.

High Dessert,
Interesting........ can you please explain the differences in the forearm prints between lions and elk in deep snow. Quite a bit larger in diameter [ lion ] than elk at the snow surface??

[high desert hounds]

Spokerider, I am not a biologist just a hunter, so this is the only way i can explain it. It seems to me elk are lazy like cattle so they drag there feet forward thrue the snow. I notice this even in shallow snow. A lion will pick his feet up and carefuly place them down at a slight angle allowing the forearm to leave a smooth print in the snow the shape of the back of the forearm nice and round and concaved. all cats leave this type of print bobcats included. coyotes deer and elk have a skinny more v-shaped back to there forearms.and much more drag between steps. I hope this explains what I was trying to say.

[Spokerider]

High Desert,
Yes it does help clarify, thanks.
I've noticed the same thing with elk and deer dragging their hooves [even in shallow snow ] when stepping out of their track, and have noted bears [ we have lots out and about in the snow here ] drag their heels into the track when walking.

I've never seen a cat track in snow deeper than about one foot deep, and so was wondering.........

[whoflungdung]

I wish i could remember what I did with the pics but I took some of a lion dragging his feet just like a deer or elk. It was in about 2 inches of snow and a nice sized cat going right down the middle of the road dragging his feet every step. I have seen this probably about 5 times. Once I find a suspicious looking track I look at where it goes into the timber to see if it came out from underneath low hanging branches/blow down look deeper into the woods and see if they stepped on a log or walked down a log. Like mentioned earlier if there is wet snow you can blow a track out and still have a perfect imprint.

[bearhntwi]

The cats here pick thier feet all the way up too,no dragging like a deer will.All our tracks are in feet of snow on the south shore of lake superior,makes it more interesting for sure.