What made these tracks?

[Senior Citizen]

Last night, between 6 and 7 PM, some large animal left these tracks next to our house. We're thinking it is either a bobcat or a coyote. They're pretty big paws.

XXXXXXXXXXX

My vote is for a big lazy dog. Tracks too wide in line/stride to be a fox, coyote or wolf. Definitly not a bobcat.

Fox, coyote and wolf tracks are almost twice as long as they are wide. These seem bigger than a coffee cup and at least as wide as long. How far apart are the strides/steps? They almost appear to be "pidgeon toed" !

SC

 

[JJ_BPK]

Last night, between 6 and 7 PM, some large animal left these tracks next to our house. We're thinking it is either a bobcat or a coyote. They're pretty big paws.

Might be a bit late to the party,, but I think you had an Otter in your yard.

They are one of the few "swishers" with their tail close to the ground. Ofter they will slide on their bellies and kick with the rear feet, if there is a down-hill trail.

JJ

 

[rimfired]

Otter be a law against making Barb have flashbacks.......

 

[Strato]

These were the closest I could find to single file swishy draggy walk. Dog, Hyena, Wildcat

 

[CJKarl]

rimfired's got it.

 

[Onomea]

I think it might be a giant opossum.

(While it probably isn't, it conceivably could be. Especially if it has had cosmetic surgery to its paws. As for its sexual orientation, that remains unclear to me. But it could be an AC-DC giant opossum. Could be. Ya just never know what's out there in the dark.)

Just gettin my two cents in here, like everybody else. Hope that helps.

 

[BarbC]

I'm leaning toward Coyote because of the size of the paws and length of the stride. Here's a pic I found on the web of coyote tracks.

 

[novalty]

Whatever it is, it has a pretty consistent low trot. Times like these that a game camera would be nice.

 

[bk43]

Although I no longer hunt, and long ago left the snowy northlands, I don't recall ever seeing a cat leave drag lines. Some canines do so maybe a fox or even stray dog.

It'd be cool to set up a trail cam and find out. It'd be really cool if you find out it's a gay chupacabra just a'swishing through the woods.

Bob