So my pig hunt excursion went,...well..., not as well as I had hoped it would but we still had fun. There was tons of rooting and fresh sign but no pigs. From the looks of a new root area right by the trail, had we been there a few min. earlier we would have caught him in the act. It started with the discovery of this track in the fresh mud at about 6:30 am. I can't say for certain it is a kitty, but not all for toes have claw impressions like a dog, and there were no human prints to go along with them. So maybe it's a cat maybe not. What do the experts think?
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theseacow
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Seems to be alot of little kitty incidents lately. Last time I was at laguna, I thought I was being followed by one, but I never saw it. I posted about it a while ago....
Laguna really is a weird place. The pigs are not there on the weekend, but their sign always seems fresh. Glad you had fun, gettin out and being with the outdoors is what its all about.
-theseacow(pig hunter wannabe)
Laguna really is a weird place. The pigs are not there on the weekend, but their sign always seems fresh. Glad you had fun, gettin out and being with the outdoors is what its all about.
-theseacow(pig hunter wannabe)
Rancho Loco
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Claw marks = Dawg..
The kitties only have their claws out when grabbing you from behind.
Heheheh...
The kitties only have their claws out when grabbing you from behind.
Heheheh...
Cat track. If you look at the picture you can see that the pad is bi-lobed at the top.Cat track.....right sized for a mountain lion. Claws show when a cat is walking on soft earth. Look at your house cat's track at home......you'll notice that it differs from your dog. The top of your dog's pad is single lobed.
Speckmisser
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I'm not looking to challenge anyone's tracking skills, but my money says dog too. I know at least one guy who hunts a Plott hound back there. I know there are others who go in with dogs too. There are also tons of coyotes in that place. The nails are part of the giveaway.
Borrowed image below showing lion tracks in soft sand... note, no nails.
Borrowed image below showing lion tracks in soft sand... note, no nails.
Look I know Iam new around here.........I know that's a cat track. Iam not guessing or think it's a cat track........ I know.Now we got two pictures.Note both tracks the pads are bi-lobed......which means it's a cat track.Canines have a single lobed pad.Don't belive me? Check it out for your selves.You'll become better hunters when you know your animals better. I know that's sounds like I am ragging you guys....and it's probly true.I not wanting to rag you guys.....I joined because I know there's something to be learned from everyone....and Iam all about learning.Consider this an test.Go find you answers.Maybe I am wrong......But if I am right ......and you didn't bother trying to find out more about game tracking...........
Good question GreenLeaf. Here's your answer.The track on the left is a dog track. Note: it has just one of those humps(lobes...on the interdigital pad).The track on the right is a mountain lion track.Note it has two humps (lobes)on the pad. Hope this helps.
Rancho Loco
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Dog/Cat hybrid...
Mystery solved.
Next?
Mystery solved.
Next?
Speckmisser
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Heathen,
First, don't go feeling like we're picking on the "new guy". We're not, and it's not about that. Just disagreeing is all. I'm willing to accept the possibility that I could be wrong. I'm certainly not willing to stake more than that on a single photograph.
I know what you're saying about the lobes, but looking at the photo Lee posted (which is really all we have to go on), I can't draw the same conclusion. I can see where you'd think the front track looks like it could be bi-lobed, but the back track looks like it only has the single lobe. I'd say that the gravelly sand along that creekbed distorted the tracks.
From the size of the tracks (compared against the keys), the fact that the nails are extended, and that I know the area very well, I'll stick with my position that these are most likely dog tracks. Not that there aren't any cats there, both bobcat and lion, but I don't think the felines made these tracks.
At any rate, it's all academic and I hope you're not taking it personal. You obviously know what you're on about, but I've looked at a few tracks in my lifetime too.
First, don't go feeling like we're picking on the "new guy". We're not, and it's not about that. Just disagreeing is all. I'm willing to accept the possibility that I could be wrong. I'm certainly not willing to stake more than that on a single photograph.
I know what you're saying about the lobes, but looking at the photo Lee posted (which is really all we have to go on), I can't draw the same conclusion. I can see where you'd think the front track looks like it could be bi-lobed, but the back track looks like it only has the single lobe. I'd say that the gravelly sand along that creekbed distorted the tracks.
From the size of the tracks (compared against the keys), the fact that the nails are extended, and that I know the area very well, I'll stick with my position that these are most likely dog tracks. Not that there aren't any cats there, both bobcat and lion, but I don't think the felines made these tracks.
At any rate, it's all academic and I hope you're not taking it personal. You obviously know what you're on about, but I've looked at a few tracks in my lifetime too.
Thank you speckmisser.....I do feel like Iam getting picked on here.Iam not taking it personal and have no problem with people disagreeing with me.
BUT.....I still can't see how anyone could think that that is a dog track.The photo's seems clear to me.Maybe LeeChul has some other that might help.Track shape and what little you see of the claws on the front....plus the lobes......seems to me clearly a cat track.
This post should ,at least, help folks know the difference between cat tracks and dog. I know it's a big thrill for me to find any type of track. And how hard it can be to tell certain types of game apart by the sign that they leave.
BUT.....I still can't see how anyone could think that that is a dog track.The photo's seems clear to me.Maybe LeeChul has some other that might help.Track shape and what little you see of the claws on the front....plus the lobes......seems to me clearly a cat track.
This post should ,at least, help folks know the difference between cat tracks and dog. I know it's a big thrill for me to find any type of track. And how hard it can be to tell certain types of game apart by the sign that they leave.
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LEe's track does appear to have the cougar pad. THe claws may be out if the cat is sinking and he thinks he is slipping. Too bad we can't see the rear of the pad, the M&M shape of the rear of the pad is a dead giveaway.
Cougar track in mud
Only time I see claws in a cougars track is when they slip in mud and come down a tree. I saw a real good example last year at FHL. I was tracking this cat to see where he went and when he crossed the muddy road he went down a short cut bank and slipped. You could see exactly when he deployed them claws for extra traction. I went back later to take a pic and some vehicles had ruined the prints.
Cats usually don't walk with their claws out because it dulls their claws.
Cougar track in mud
Only time I see claws in a cougars track is when they slip in mud and come down a tree. I saw a real good example last year at FHL. I was tracking this cat to see where he went and when he crossed the muddy road he went down a short cut bank and slipped. You could see exactly when he deployed them claws for extra traction. I went back later to take a pic and some vehicles had ruined the prints.
Cats usually don't walk with their claws out because it dulls their claws.
MNHNTR
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Heathen, in this forum sometimes we agree to disagree. No one is really picked on, but everyone has an opinion. I thank everyone for their input it makes for an interesting part of my weekend and if I learn something so much the better. Thanks Jesse for the short lesson. If it is a cat, it is a small one. The car alarm is approx 2" long. I think finding tracks and bones is a great part of being out in the outdoors!
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THe one thing I question is if it's a cougar or bobcat. That car alarm fob is almost as long as that track. It's either a real small cougar or a bobcat.
I always carry a small tape measure to put in the pic. If not, you'll always wonder how big the track really was.
I always carry a small tape measure to put in the pic. If not, you'll always wonder how big the track really was.
