Cougar question????

[CanuckShooter]

My wife likes to watch the wildlife around the homestead with the binos and she pointed out some tracks to me, way across the meadow out front. Well these tracks appear to have a mark every so often that may have been made by a cougars tail??? hitting the snow. I cannot imagine anything else that would leave marks like that unless the animal was carrying a stick?

So my question to you cougar hunters out there is ...does a cougars tail leave marks in the snow to the side of the main track?

We still have lots of snow, and I don't have snowshoes, so thought to ask here first.

[Fisher-Dude]

Yep. I've seen tail drag marks on cat tracks, especially when the snow is deeper and they sink in further.

[Spokerider]

Google a pic of ["cougar track" snow] and see if they are a match!

[CanuckShooter]

They aren't really like drag marks/tracks..guess I didn't get that across very good. Looks more like it would if you were walking along and slapping at the snow beside you with a hockey stick, about a 45 degree angle away from you, hard to guesstimate but about 1 1/2 to 2 feet in length.

[Fisher-Dude]

They aren't really like drag marks/tracks..guess I didn't get that across very good. Looks more like it would if you were walking along and slapping at the snow beside you with a hockey stick, about a 45 degree angle away from you, hard to guesstimate but about 1 1/2 to 2 feet in length.

Hmm maybe carrying something in its mouth then - like a deer leg! :wink:

Best advice is to look at pics of cat tracks then to see if the paws match up.

[one-shot-wonder]

Also the step pattern is easy to tell if it is at least a cat or a dog. Cats tend to walk placing their feet more along a straight line, directly under their body I guess. I hope that is clear.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Also the step pattern is easy to tell if it is at least a cat or a dog. Cats tend to walk placing their feet more along a straight line, directly under their body I guess. I hope that is clear.

Yes, true but probably not when they're carrying something heavy(like a deer leg:)) in their mouth:wink:.

SSS

[Angel]

Also the step pattern is easy to tell if it is at least a cat or a dog. Cats tend to walk placing their feet more along a straight line, directly under their body I guess. I hope that is clear.

Agree......From what I have seen, if the paw prints match up, and the snow is deep enough, it could be from the tail drag. Or yes possible a deer leg...:roll: Also have you seen any or much signs in the past of cougar around your place.

[CanuckShooter]

I cannot get close enough for a good look, it's about 400 yards of deep snow to the tracks and I don't have snow shoes. Last summer the neighbour, 1/4 mile away told me he had seen some cougar tracks. It just looks so strange, my curiousity might get the best of me and I can crawl over or maybe ride my canoe over?? :biggrin:

[ryanb]

I cannot get close enough for a good look, it's about 400 yards of deep snow to the tracks and I don't have snow shoes. Last summer the neighbour, 1/4 mile away told me he had seen some cougar tracks. It just looks so strange, my curiousity might get the best of me and I can crawl over or maybe ride my canoe over?? :biggrin:

Strap the wife's cookie pans to your feet and voila snowshoes ;)

[CanuckShooter]

My feet are bigger than those tiny little things already!!!:tongue: