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Okay well according to the internet its a cougar/mountain lion. Want others opinions! The paw print was about 5 inches width!
Found These Paw Prints at my Barn in the Snow!!
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Not bear...has to be cat or k9.
I looked at a lot of tracks...some cougar tracks had the claw marks but not many and not as clear...like this one
http://freepages.family.rootsweb.an...mages/08-03-01_Footprint_in_sand_at_cabin.jpg
here is a bear
http://www.nps.gov/gaar/planyourvisit/images/bigbeartracks2.jpg
Wolf..
http://www.wildernessclassroom.com/polarbear/images/wolf_tracks.jpg
Bob Cat..
http://natureinquiries.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/bobcat-track-1b.jpg
I looked at a lot of tracks...some cougar tracks had the claw marks but not many and not as clear...like this one
http://freepages.family.rootsweb.an...mages/08-03-01_Footprint_in_sand_at_cabin.jpg
here is a bear
http://www.nps.gov/gaar/planyourvisit/images/bigbeartracks2.jpg
Wolf..
http://www.wildernessclassroom.com/polarbear/images/wolf_tracks.jpg
Bob Cat..
http://natureinquiries.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/bobcat-track-1b.jpg
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I personally think that it is probably either a wolf, or a large dog. I too can clearly see the claw marks, and cat prints don't show claw marks.
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No way, canine and bear species have non retractable claws and therefore leave a claw print when leaving tracks. Feline species (excepting the cheetah, which I doubt that's what it was - even though that would be seriously cool!!) have a retractable claw and therefore don't leave claw tracks. Possibly a stray dog, or in an extreme case, a wolf, if you have them where you live?
P.S. I work volunteer at a zoo on the weekends and have seen the different tracks for myself.
P.S. I work volunteer at a zoo on the weekends and have seen the different tracks for myself.
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Agree with the above post. Looks like a large dog, Felines don't leave claw marks, and bear *usually* show more claw. It could be a bear, but I vote big dog
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A big cat track can show claw mark if its a deep track. It can also show claw mark if in is at an incline. On flat level ground you shouldn't see any claw mark.
This is a cougar track in snow.
http://washingtonwolf.info/wolfphotos/wolftrack_hindfootsize_002.jpg
This is a cougar track in snow.
http://washingtonwolf.info/wolfphotos/wolftrack_hindfootsize_002.jpg
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nah i don't think it's a bear. bears have pretty wonky shapped bads. and the toes are big. i'm guessing either Coyote, Wolf, or a big dog
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^^^Snow makes the tracks look much bigger.
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The tracks where in very deep snow and on a hill... There have been "sightings" of the cougars up here. There are no wolves... the only stray dog that I have seen around here is a bassett hound lol. Im literally in the middle of nowhere.. smack dab in the middle of a 60 acres field surrounded by miles and miles of woods. The paw print was bigger than my hand... needless to say even if it is a dog im scared of it. There were small.. very small prints next to it... like as if it had a baby.... I didnt get pictures of those though. but they looked the same justa third of the size 
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I agree with that is most likely a wolf, coyote, or feral/ stay dog. Animals to naturally exspand their ranges as long as there is nothing to stop them. I would not be suprised if it is a wolf but even if it is just a stay dog. becareful. They can be dangerous to horses and people.
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I agree with Kentucky. The palm on a cougar track is larger than all the digits and the shape of the palm is not higher in the center as it would be on a coyotee, wolf or dog. Hard to tell by the picture, but that shape looks more elongated and the digits collectively are not larger than the palm.
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Why would the link say "WolfTrack_HindFootSize" if it were a Couger track? By how the link is labeled, I would think that that picture is a hind foot track from a wolf. In fact I would put money on it. After all it is from the "washington wolf" page, in the "wolf photos" gallery....
To the OP:
The track you found was a canine of some sorts. Anyone with barely a basic sense of tracking can tell that is not a cat.
Just because you haven't seen the dogs, doesn't mean they aren't there. I haven't seen the pack of coyotes that live in my area, but I do know they are here. I have had strange dogs show up for one night, passing through, and I never see them again. I have had the neighbor dogs come over for a night... and who knows what shows up when I am not there.
Here is a nice page with lots of pics of cougar tracks. Animal Tracks - Mountain Lion (Cougar) - Puma concolor
A nice carnivore print page.
Tracking Identification Guide from Wild Things Unlimited
If you really want to know, set up a wildlife camera.
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The photo itself says it is a wolf, not cougar.
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I would bet it was a big dog, wolf, or a coyote..
I have coyote's everywhere here, and that's what their prints look like.
But, who knows, haha.
Most likely K9 though.
I have coyote's everywhere here, and that's what their prints look like.
But, who knows, haha.
Most likely K9 though.
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I know nothing about tracks, but generally speaking because of the sightings and wildlife in your area, I would believe it. We used to have a special breed of mountain dog in the hopes it would keep those human eating animals away from our house.The tracks where in very deep snow and on a hill... There have been "sightings" of the cougars up here. There are no wolves... the only stray dog that I have seen around here is a bassett hound lol. Im literally in the middle of nowhere.. smack dab in the middle of a 60 acres field surrounded by miles and miles of woods. The paw print was bigger than my hand... needless to say even if it is a dog im scared of it. There were small.. very small prints next to it... like as if it had a baby.... I didnt get pictures of those though. but they looked the same justa third of the size
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I would say a stray dog or a wolf, the prints look K9
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