some trail pics

[bvg]

Ran across some pics from last year when I went to Navada to look for spots to hunt. Never did catch this cat but those bear dogs gave it hell. started the track at 11:30 am and pulled off when it started to snow out the track that night. Had a great time following the hounds and seeing how the cat moved through the night. Probably was better off. I found out later I was one ridge away from private ground and the owners hunted. Dont know the age of the track but the toes where melted out in most spots. Im sure a good cat/snow dog could have caught up to it quicker.

[dandavidson]

Great shots!
D

[imchestnut]

Are those claws you can see on the right side of those tracks?

If I see claws I'm always nervous. I know what I look for, what do you boys all look for to defferentiate between a wolf track and cat track? Sometimes they can look dang close...

[jkcasey]

I look for the three lobes on the pad. Three lobes no doubt it's a cat.

[smartsbiggamehounds]

3 lobes on pad is the best and also a lead toe and the whole claw marks i turned out on a lion track that had claws showing i belive it was using them for traction cause going up a crusty snow hill little slippery hell i even seen claw marks on them just walking down the road not very often but i have so what im saying is dont automaticly say oh damn its k9 look for the 3 lobes and a lead toe

[bvg]

I agree on the lobes. The track was found in the north centrel part of navada I guess you would call it. no wolves Yet. I thought it was cool how the lion laid down like that. He must have ben getting sleepy cause just up the ridge he laid up for the night under a rock ledge. Being a bear hunter I learned alot about the way a cat moves by following that track all day. I think I will be doing alot more cat hunting.

[schnell]

You can read alot from watching the ground and following.

I once followed tracks in sand where a cat stalked and jumped a small deer. The tumbled and the deer got up and ran away. The cat followed 5-10 steps then circled back around to stalk another trail. It was all written in damp sand.

The claws came out in the footprints as it attacked and disappeared after its prey got away. That and the spacing of the prints gave some idea of the speed and momentum involved.

I never saw the cat that day, but i did find a cat skull later that was all nasty gory still. Probably a young male killed by a competitor. The skull had a hole in it, that didn't exit, possibly a lethal skull bite. Never found the rest of the carcas or skeleton.

[Brianshounds]

in rilly deep snow a lion somtimes will show his claws when trying to stay up n top when he spreeds his foot out, but they are very sharp looking and a wolf is blunt looking . also when a lion tries going up a slick steep hill it will somtimes show a little claw. but the bottom line is a cat walks like a cat and a wolf walkes like a dog!!!