What tracks are these?

[trikebubble]

I found these while walking the dog this morning. We live in a fairly rural interface area. We've had coyotes, bear, and sheep in the backyard, and cougars have been seen and shot in the neighbourhood.
There are no local large dogs loving anywhere near where I saw these tracks.
The tracks seemed to be following a number of deer tracks, and the stride was 3 to 4 feet apart.
At first I figured them for a cougar, but I'm not sure.

 

[leonk05]

Looks like a big wolf. found similar tracks following deer this past season and am convinced its a wolf..

 

[horshur]

that is a canine........

 

[ljones]

Probably wolf. There has been an explosion of wolf numbers all over BC.

 

[9mms2k]

K9.

 

[Tazzy]

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Thinking you're right on Cougar. Looks too wide and rounded for wolf from here. Funny thing about tracks is a lot of times they don't look just like the text book and you've got to consider locality. Sometimes a wolf track could be somebody's extra large dog.

Grizz

 

[ljones]

Yeah I was going by the first pic. Now that you show the two side by side and the lack of claw marks now leaning to cougar as well.

 

[Ranger G]

Sasquatch!

 

[Redbearded1]

The shape seems more canine to me, even if the claws didn't register on slushy snow in the picture. It seems to narrow to be a cat with the front toes more in front of, than beside, the outside toes.

 

[Joe57]

German Shepard?

 

['Boo]

Large domestic dog.

 

[drache]

Here's a wolf print in mud for comparison

 

[gixxstar]

big f'&ing dog

 

[canadian hunter312]

I'm not sure what type of canine left those tracks, but it's definitely not a cougar.

You guys who are saying it's cougar might want to clean your monitor or start wearing glasses

 

[Dohhunter]

I'm not sure what type of canine left those tracks, but it's definitely not a cougar.

You guys who are saying it's cougar might want to clean your monitor or start wearing glasses

What he said.

 

[Bland]

One thing to consider is tracks often appear larger when in the snow.

 

[pzkw108]

looks like a canine track to me but it can be confusing....

another thing cougar can leave in the snow is some tail marks

Seb

 

[9mms2k]

Here's a wolf print in mud for comparison

What's the difference between a wolf and a dog? Not much.

 

['Boo]

What's the difference between a wolf and a dog? Not much.

Not much other than size. If you look at the whole "trail" it becomes easier as a wolf's front and rear footprint will be inline while a dog's will usually be off-set. Also, a dog will typically meander while on the move while a wolf is more likely to move in a relatively straight line.

As mentioned tracks in melted snow usually appear much larger than they really are.