My first Kitty Tracks!

tracker · 01-10-2009, 07:45 PM

My son and I were up in the hills looking for some wood to cut. Lots of snow up where we were looking. We were trying to get to a firewood cutting area. Anyway we eventually got the truck to a point where our will to go on was defeated by our desire to drive home instead of walk. So we got out and took a little walk up the road. Right away I noticed two set of tracks coming down the road. I did not look at them at first, just assuming they were yote tracks. When we stopped to look over some country below us I bent down and looked closer. Ok, nope they are not yotes but bobcat tracks. One set was a bit larger than the others. It seemed to us that the tracks were following a single rabbit track. Then the tracks veered off following a squirrel track. Then back up on the road. We took some pictures but it was cloudy and the contrast was just not good and tracks are nothing more than slight lines in the snow. As we were leaving I happened to bend down and measure the track with my finger. When we got back home my so looked up bobcat tracks on the computer and yep, thats what they sure looked like. Then we read the measurements of bobcat tracks and opps! The tracks we saw were about 3 1/2" front to back for the big one and 2 3/4" for the smaller one. Computer says that makes them lion tracks. We thing maybe a female with an older cub? From what the computer shows the lion tracks and the bobcat tracks are extremely simalar in looks. Only size really differentiatates them. So as far as I know those are the first Mountain lion tracks for me. My son saw two lions up there last year. It is an area where you have to buy a permit to get into. Well worth the money already!

stlhdr1 · 01-10-2009, 07:50 PM

Very cool....

Remember tend to walk a perfect line, one foot over the next. As far as the cat tracks 3.5" in length probably puts it in the cougar class, their stride would certainly be recognizable at a good 2-3feet between steps whereas a bobcat will be more around the 12-18" stride...

Keith

OR_Bo_Huntr · 01-10-2009, 07:53 PM

Saw some nice ones myself today....size 16 WIDE boot

tracker · 01-10-2009, 07:56 PM

Oh forgot to mention there were drag marks in the snow along the larger tracks. We were guessing the tail dragging every once in a while? They do that? No blood anywhere so not carrying anything for dinner. Tracks were in a straight line for the most part.

Uncle ted · 01-10-2009, 11:59 PM

BlackTail18 · 01-11-2009, 02:23 AM

great story. thanks for shearing

Nw dukn · 01-11-2009, 07:18 AM

Awesome tracks in the snow..

Sirzonkalot · 01-11-2009, 01:57 PM

How about one in the mud from this morning.

tracker · 01-12-2009, 03:43 PM

Looks to me like there are way too many kitties out there.

BrianMaguire · 01-12-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tracker

Looks to me like there are way too many kitties out there.

They probably are bobcat tracks, a large one (they do get big). From what I have seen on cougar tracks they are huge, as big as your hand or larger. The one I shot two years ago has paws as big as my hand and it was a 1.5 year old female. I am 6'1" so my hands are not too small. I have seen cat tracks as big or bigger than my hand with my fingers totally spread out.

Jakiedog · 01-12-2009, 04:17 PM

Good Post. Keep 'em coming!