What kind of tracks are these?

[GR8LIFE]

We just had a light snowfall here in Virginia and when DH went out to the barn for something he saw some tracks that we couldn't identify. I'm afraid I won't have too much to give you as to the description because the snow was soft and deep enough that we couldn't see a clear foot pattern.

The thing that intrigued us was that it almost appeared as if the animal hopped along. The patterns were probably about the size of a cat paw and they had two prints directly beside each other and then the other two prints were one slightly behind, but not directly behind, the other one. I couldn't tell which way the animal was headed so I don't know if the two feet beside each other are the back feet or the front feet.

There were no drag lines at all. It was as if it was done by a spring buck which would jump up and then land down again. The distance between each of the four feet was probably that which a small cat would stride and the distance between each set of four prints was about twelve inches or so.

Does anybody know what kind of animal this might be? We were intriqued and would love to know what it was.

Colleen

[OD]

It sounds like a rabbit to me.

[bare]

Sounds like rabbit. The two prints side by side are the front feet.

[BrahmaMama]

Wow, you got me, and usually I'm pretty good at this stuff! If it were a rabbit of some sort, the front tracks should be slightly larger and spread apart, or at least this is what my book is showing me!

If nothing else, I'm guessing one of Santas miniature reindeer is on the loose

[Tracy Rimmer]

I'd say it was a jackrabbit, running.

[bretthunting]

Rabbit!!!

[agmantoo]

tracks are of a wampus kitty...kinda like a lion and kinda like a tiger, very mean, head on both ends. How does he go to the bathroom? He don't, that is what makes him so dangerous!

[MELOC]

fox squirrel?

[Ravenlost]

My vote goes for rabbit too, but a cat will jump in snow (although you should see drag marks from it's tail unless it was holding it's tail up to keep it out of the snow!).

[2horses]

It's a chubacabra!!!! LOLOL!!

Pam <--- doesn't know tracks from shinola

[Snuffy Smith]

Bigfoot!

[Iddee]

If I could make a period halfway up instead of on the bottom, I would show you a rabbit track. It is 2 periods, colon, 2periods, colon, ETC. Except the periods are in the middle rather than at the bottom.

[BigBoy]

Killer Bee. Gotta be. Yeah.

[leoaloha]

http://www.backyardnature.net/101/mamkey01.htm

[MELOC]

here is a link to an image of squirrel tracks. http://www.hopkins.k12.mn.us/Pages/D.../source/13.htm

i still think it could be a fox squirrel. they get as big as a cat.

google "fox squirrel tracks"

[dscott7972]

El Chupacabra!!!!!

[GR8LIFE]

Thanks all for your helpful suggestions. It turns out that the rabbit tracks shown by the website that leoaloha submitted are a perfect match.

I had thought it was an animal that hopped because the stride between footprints was quite long but no dragging of feet were visible. The explanation on the site as to how they move their front feet forward first and then plop their back feet in front of the front feet made perfect sense.

I'm so pleased to be able to learn more about wildlife and will share the site with hubby when I get home tonight.

(But, I'm still holding out that it could have been a miniature Bigfoot. Is that an oxymoron?)

Colleen

[Oggie]

Kind of reminds me of the story when two of my uncles were standing in the woods arguing about tracks.

"Got's to be a moose," one said.

"No, too long," said the other. "Got's to be an elk."

"No, too wide," replied the first. "Got's to be a moose."

"Elk!"

"Moose!"

"Elk!"

"Moose!"

"Elk!"

"Moose!"

"Elk!"

"Moose!"


This went on for about an hour 'til they were hit by a train.

[2horses]

Are you SURE it wasn't a Chupacabra?



LOL!!!! (thanks dscott for the proper spelling of said beastie...)

[silentcrow]

2horses, where did you find that picture??!! Neat!