Coyote track vs wolf track.... visible difference beyond size?

Hyperwrx

Hyperwrx

New member
Just got back from a trip up in the mountain country of Az. Found these tracks at a cattle watering pond. As said in subject. Beyond size- what is the difference from a coyote track and a wolf's? I read a typical coyote track is 2.5" long x 2" wide. A wolf's are more or less 4.5 x 3.5. I'm hoping there are wolves that have migrated to the central AZ mountain/rim area. FYI- called in this area for close to an hour- 2 stands with nothing. Rabbit in distress and woodpecker on each stand and at the end coyote howl to see if I could get any response. Zilch. Something is in the area but wanted nothing to do with me. Elk were roaming all around me bugling. Good many responses from males when I had my Foxpro FX5 trumpeting back at them.

Arizona reintroduced the Mexican Wolf a few decades ago and currently they number 50-60 wild wolves in the entire state. More reading on this here- http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/es/wolf_reintroduction.shtml

FYI- Canon lens cover is about 2 3/8 " across

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These are typical coyote tracks down close to my home in Queen Creek. .22-250 for reference.
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Scott that's a durned big track for sure. Two years ago and the last elk camp I put in up here in the Clearwater forest of Northern Idaho we could hear the wolves gathering every evening and had tracks around the camper every morning and they were as big as your fist pix or bigger.

It looks like you might have run across some wolf tracks. With so few there it would be a thrill to see them. Perhaps we could help you out and ship you some of our excess. We've got between a thousand and 1500 depending upon whose giving out the facts.

If you'd just give me your address I'll pass it along to the proper folks for shipping instructions.
 
I'll post a wolf track below from Northern BC. The big tracks you show look sloppy to me for a wolf, with toes spread. One track wouldn't mean much but two of them both sloppy like that make me wonder if it is a big domestic dog. They tend to splay their toes more than wild canines. Sure could be wolf however.

The coyote tracks you show have the tighter bunching of toes more typical of wild canines in my expeerience. There are exceptions, but they are usually coyotes or wolves that are running. Especially a big older animal that is dodging while on the run on a soft surface like mud will spread out his toes, like many dogs do when just walking. Just my limited observations, not wide enough experience to claim these comments as always true.

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I've only ever seen two seperate identified wolf tracks in the wild. The last track, I seen was around 13yrs ago, give or take. I measured that track with my finger digits[1" segmented] on wet pack snow. Length was around 4.5" long x 3.25" wide from what I recall.

This wolf was pretty large with long legs. I'd guess a nomad. It was cream colored, what a sight. Doubtful I'll ever see another one. Pretty rare in central Iowa.
 
Just noticed something useful: if you squint slightly when you look at the photos of tracks, you can see the track more clearly and better defined. It darkens the image slightly and gives a little more contrast which brings out the light areas, such as the heel, much clearer.
 
It's probably a ferrel dog track. In my experience, mature wolf tracks are normally the size of your hand. Also, the taper doesn't look quite right. When all else fails, bust out a wolf howl. No barks or yips just one long whooooooooooo. See what you hear. They sound totally different than a coyote and usually answer pretty well.
 
Pretty small for a wolf from the tracks I have seen here in Wyoming. Maybe however for a those southern wolves that might be right.
 
Here is a photo of wolf and coyote tracks together. I took this last winter, I saw the wolves making them.
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This one has a 223 round in it.
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