WHAT MADE THESE ANIMAL TRACKS?

You found tracks in your yard, garden, flower bed, mud, snow, or around your home—but what made them?

Animal tracks are one of the best clues a homeowner can use when trying to identify a wildlife problem. You may never see the animal itself, but its tracks can tell you that something has been moving through your property and, in many cases, help narrow down exactly what you're dealing with.

START WITH THE TRACK

Before trying to identify a track, look at the overall pattern.

Don't focus on just one footprint. Look at several tracks together.

Ask yourself:

  • How large is the track?
  • How many toes are visible?
  • Are claws showing?
  • Is there a visible heel pad?
  • Are the front and rear feet different?
  • Are the tracks in a straight line?
  • Are they spaced widely apart or close together?
  • Does the animal appear to be walking, running, hopping or bounding?
  • Are there multiple sets of tracks?

The track pattern or gait, can be just as important as the individual footprint.

COMMON BACKYARD TRACKS

RABBIT

Rabbit tracks are often easy to recognize because the larger hind feet land ahead of the smaller front feet. Their tracks commonly appear in groups or bounding patterns rather than a simple walking line.

RACCOON

Raccoon tracks can look surprisingly similar to small human handprints. Look for five toes on both front and rear feet and a relatively long, narrow appearance.

SKUNK

Skunk tracks generally show five toes and may include visible claw marks. Tracks can sometimes be confused with raccoon tracks, so size, shape and the walking pattern are important.

OPOSSUM

Opossum tracks have five toes. The hind foot can be particularly distinctive because of the widely separated toe arrangement.

FOX

Fox tracks are generally narrow and compact, with four toes and a heel pad. Claw marks may be visible, and the tracks often form a relatively straight traveling pattern.

COYOTE

Coyote tracks resemble those of a domestic dog but are generally narrower and more oval. Four toes and claw marks are commonly visible.

SQUIRREL

Squirrel tracks often show the larger rear feet landing ahead of the smaller front feet as the animal bounds. They are frequently found around trees, bird feeders and gardens.

CHIPMUNK

Chipmunk tracks are considerably smaller than squirrel tracks and may occur around gardens, foundations, woodpiles and other areas where these small animals travel.

DON'T IDENTIFY A TRACK BY SIZE ALONE

One of the most common mistakes is saying, “That's a dog track,” simply because it resembles one.

Domestic dogs, foxes and coyotes can leave similar-looking tracks. Cats and other animals can also produce tracks that are easily confused when the soil or snow is soft.

That's why Backyard Baits® recommends looking at several pieces of evidence together.

TRACK + HABITAT + DAMAGE = THE BIGGER PICTURE

Suppose you find tracks beside your vegetable garden.

Don't stop with the tracks.

Look at the garden.

Are plants being eaten?

Are vegetables missing?

Is the soil disturbed?

Are there droppings nearby?

Is there a hole or den?

Is there a fence opening?

Then consider when the damage occurs.

An animal leaving tracks at night and damaging your garden overnight gives you a much different set of clues than an animal leaving tracks during the middle of the day.

WHERE DID THE ANIMAL GO?

Follow the tracks when conditions allow.

Tracks may reveal:

  • Where the animal entered your property
  • Where it traveled
  • Where it found food
  • Where it crossed a fence
  • Where it disappeared into cover
  • Where it may have a den or resting area
  • Which part of your property it uses regularly

A track can be more than a footprint. It can be a map of the animal's movements.

TAKE A PICTURE

If you're not sure what made the track, photograph it before it disappears.

Place a ruler, tape measure or another object of known size beside the track—not on top of it. Take a photo from directly above whenever possible.

Photograph several tracks, not just one.

Then compare:

SIZE → TOES → CLAWS → PAD → TRACK PATTERN → LOCATION → OTHER SIGNS

Together, those clues can make identification much easier.

IDENTIFY THE ANIMAL BEFORE CHOOSING YOUR CONTROL METHOD

Backyard Baits® is built around understanding animals and their habits.

The goal isn't simply to find an animal. The goal is to understand why it is there, how it is using your property and what is attracting it.

Tracks are one piece of that puzzle.

See the track. Study the clues. Identify the animal. Find the source. Then determine the appropriate control method.

That's a smarter starting point for homeowners dealing with wildlife around the yard, garden and homestead.