A butcher at our local grocery store who lives in the country and spends a lot of time outdoors came across some tracks in a field a few weeks ago. He made some plaster casts of the prints that are really good. I took some photo's of the plaster casts this morning to get some opinions from fellow SILO big cat experts. The casts he made are wrapped in a steak package in plastic wrap. He told me he tried to make one of a front foot and one of a back foot. You can see retracted claws on some of the toe's, and the tracks are actual size, which is hard to tell by my photo's. They are about the size of my hand if I bend my fingers back at the middle. He told me the ground was not real soft, which would indicate by the depth of the tracks that it is a fairly heavy animal. This person is a credible person who I have known for several years, so I wanted to share this pictures with the SILO members. All opinions are appreciated! Thanks, Taz.:)

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/89224dab63df806ce.jpg

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/89224dab63dfc038e.jpg

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/89224dab63e0080b1.jpg

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/89224dab63e03b8c7.jpg

Taz - At the moment I'm so tired I'd probably tell you they were hoof prints LOL but I'll look closer when my eyes aren't wiggly... GREAT JOB on the plaster casts - give your friend a big star for taking the time to do that - that's the best and most accurate way to figure out tracks when you may end up w/ DNR involved :) :)

Looking at Photo #2.

Heal Pad:
shape of the heal pad (the large imprint behind the toes). Canines have a heal pad which is reminicent of a triangle or upside down heart. The lobes (or rounded edges of the back of the pad) of a canine are two on the edge of the pad, but a feline will have 3 lobes on the back of the heal pad.

Claw Marks:
With felines, the toes are usually spaced around the heal pad. The toes are more like teardrops, and lack indication of claw marks. In tracks of canines, the toes are aligned with two in the front, and two somewhat behind the first two. The claw marks are visible in canine track.

Test:
- Can you draw a X between the heal pad and the toes, without the pad or toes disrupting the lines? - If you can than it is probably canine

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/tundragriz/misc/trackcanine-a.jpg

-If the X cannot be properly drawn, then are the toes arranged around the heal pad so you can draw an upside down U and touch the back of each toe?
-it may be a feline track

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/tundragriz/misc/felinetrack-a.jpg

Plaster cast is a good idea for saving evidence that will definitely disappear over time.

Cool casts.

( the above has been borrowed, some from the following reference -Track information (http://vacougarsighting.blogspot.com/2009/03/track-to-track-identification.html). Compare the hand in the photo to the print.)

That is the way to figure it out perhaps.

Looks like a canid (dog) track. Claws very rarely show up in cat tracks.

Measurements of the width and length are very good to have, and gate or distance front foot impact to rear.

Domestic dog tracks can be tricky at times because they can be on some breeds broad and more circular. Where as your wild critters IE coyote is a narrow but long track.

Been hearing a few recent reports from on the Kaskaskia... no pics... YET!!!