Coyote tracks/sign

[BowhuntingFanatic]

Hello all! I am trying to learn how to read tracks on a bunch of different animals, the coyote being one of them. I came across a set of tracks that were definitely made by some sort of dog whether it is a coyote or a housepet I cant tell, because there was a light snow that filled in all the distinguishing marks, just leaving me with ovalish prints in the snow.

My question is do coyotes walk in their own tracks? I assume they do, I saw this play out in the trail where the animal doubled back on its own trail, walking in its own tracks perfectly, I know deer and foxes do this, but do coyotes? I am assuming the domestic dog is to dumb/doesn't care about walking in its own tracks, but I would like a second opinion.

Also what other distinguishing features are in a coyote track?

Thanks for answering!

 

[spotstalkshoot]

Yes coyotes walk in or follow their own tracks. Trappers and snareman count on that behavior.

 

[RockinU]

Coyotes tracks are more egg shaped, dogs are rounder.

 

[TennYote]

A coyote will also have a more narrow track, the 2 middle nails will usually slant kinda inward.

 

[smokem]

They can walk in each others tracks to the point of almost being impossible to tell there is more than one. Snow conditions dictate how much definition is available making determination more difficult. I once tracked a coyote up and onto a railtrack he stayed on for over a mile before stepping off to go thru the filed.some dogs throw an awful nice coyote track. If you track a coyote for a ways, other things become evident in the trail as much as the track. Pace, how the tracks flow. Coyotes stride tends to be longer than a dog of similar size. Coyotes tend to stop and look around occasionally due to their wariness. Dogs don't have that same level of caution. Dogs tend to leave sloppy trails where coyotes tend to be more light footed like balerinas. Coyotes show way more athleticism in their trail. Dogs take the easy way or shy away from a difficult manuever. Around here, dogs seldom to almost never spend much effort very far away from the dog dish.especially in deep snow and cold.

 

[JPH sand hills]

ray alcorn wrote a book on coyotes It is called coyote man. It has more info than you will ever read any where. Look that book up you will be amazed. He wrote the book on the coyote.