Mountain Lion/Cougar Track?

zog

Lil-Rokslider
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Nov 30, 2016
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235
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Billings, Montana
Can anybody help me decide if this is a mountain lion?

It's a bit small, and I don't know about the "heel" looking thing behind the paw pad. I don't see a heel in any tracking references I have. No claws, so I don't think its wolf.

IMG_3328.JPG

download.png
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
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Oct 22, 2019
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5,986
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Outside
I have lots of big cats on my property and have experience with their tracks. This to me looks like young mountain lion tracks.

Look at the leg spacing and clearly defined rounded toe marks. Bobcat tracks are closer together with slightly more elongated toe marks when compared to lions.
 
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zog

zog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Messages
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Location
Billings, Montana
I'd guess small lion or big bobber. Spacing leads me to believe lion though. What size are the boot tracks in the snow?
I measured my boots at 5-1/4 inches wide. I used "paint" to draw a line across my boot then select/copy/paste the track in front of the boot. I get about 4-1/2" to 4-3/4" for the track this way. Mind you I'm not 100% sure this is the same cat as my first photo but there was only one set of tracks.

Next time there'll be a tape measure in my pocket!

IMG_3330 1.jpg
 
Last edited:

mcr-85

WKR
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May 28, 2014
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1,125
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Southern Utah
I measured my boots at 5-1/4 inches wide. I used "paint" to draw a line across my boot then select/copy/paste the track in front of the boot. I get about 4-1/2" to 4-3/4" for the track this way. Mind you I'm not 100% sure this is the same track as my first photo but there was only one set of tracks.

Next time there'll be a tape measure in my pocket!

View attachment 233517
Then I'd say lion.

Here is a lion track I found last week.
20201113_165203.jpg
Here is a set of bobcat tracks from a couple years ago while trapping them.
20150207_093624.jpg
 
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zog

zog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Messages
235
Location
Billings, Montana
Using my same 5" boot width and copy/paste on "paint", got a 52" stride on the right and a 45" stride on the left . . .

IMG_3330 2.jpg
 
Last edited:

Preston

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May 12, 2020
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183
A small lion. Like the poster above bobcat tracks aren’t nearly that big, maybe quarter/half dollar size and more elongated toes
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2015
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413
Location
Northern Michigan
I was going to say a big bobcat track you can lay a dip can in but ya seems like the stride is way too long. Slower an animal is traveling the less in line the tracks will be. Straight line tracks should be a steady trot.

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