Strange paw print in the mud?

T

Tom_Lacetera

New member
I recently bought property upstate NY ( Harpursville) and while small game hunting I came accross a unknown paw print in the mudd. It was about 4 inches wide with a large pad and several (toe pads). Im thinking coyote but it didnt have any nail/claw marks. It almost looked like a large cat. But I dont think there are any cats in NY that big are there?
 
im not sure mabe it a bobcat or even mabe a mountain lion. im not sure what kind of
cats or predators for that matter that are in NY. im in pa.
 
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It was about 4 inches wide with a large pad and several (toe pads). Im thinking coyote but it didnt have any nail/claw marks. It almost looked like a large cat. But I dont think there are any cats in NY that big are there?



4" WIDE ???? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Sir, that AIN'T no coyote. If it is, he's gonna push 500 pounds. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Without seeing the track, no one could possible tell you what it IS, but I can tell you what it AIN'T. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

At that size, I would have to "guess" a cougar or bear. Bobcats aren't NEAR that large, either. If there were no nail marks, that tends to lean towards a cat instead of a canine.

On the other hand......was is REALLY muddy, where the print could have "expanded" as the animal slid in the mud, making it look larger than it actually was?
 
Don't bear prints have claw marks??

look like this
http://www.bear-tracker.com/bear.html

cougar and bobcat don't show claw marks

http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobcat.html

as well as cougar

http://www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html

cougar tracks an be well over 4 inches long.

felines have a third lobe ususally visable on the bottom of the big pad. canines don't have this .

http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html

Did you actually measure the track .

there was a reported confirmed cougar kill(dead deer covered with leaves) in nys quite a ways north of you in 93.
confirmed by the dec.


I would suggest somthing bigger than an air rifle LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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Hello Tom,
As said, a pic or even a drawing would help alot- however living and having camped and hunted several places in upstate, the print does not sound like bear. But I have talked to several Conservation Officers and Park Rangers, who all say that Mountain Lion or Cougar if you like, do reside in the Catskills. Being that you are just to the west, quite possible. I camp at Garnet Lake sometimes and was told by locals to always check trees for neighborhood kittys. An individual I work with had to go down to his camp in the Catskills to relieve himself of a mt lion that was fond of the roof of his trailer at his camp site, so there are around.
There was even a picture in the Albany Times with a mt lion crossing a road just south of Albany.
Just my after taxes 2 cents worth!
It is the lack of claw prints that sound like cat, or purrrrhaps, Gov. George Pataki leaving office- LOL


Sincerely
8
 
varmonter how did you get that picture of me befor i have my coffie. its a great pic
also thanks for the refurance pics. good post.
 
Quote:
Great post Varmonter!!!!

Great visual aid!

Sincerely
8



Thanks isn't the internet wonderful.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Quote:
varmonter how did you get that picture of me befor i have my coffie. its a great pic
also thanks for the refurance pics. good post.



What pic? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Thanks guys. I dont know what to think. Im going back up next week and hunting for those tracks. I will take a picture this time. And now that you said it I have seen two black bears in the area in the last 3 months, although a couple of miles away. Who knows? But thankyou for the excellent pics and advise.
 
Thank you very much Varmonter, I just acquired 3 more lion sounds for my FX5. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Here is a photo I took at Vasquez Rocks, in Agua Dulce Ca. It had rained the day before, so the track is bigger than normal. I'm pretty sure it was a Mt. Lion.
639d3b7a-db6d-4c76-a674-81e91626ba62.jpg


8b2bcd9f-db0e-48e0-8ebf-795ed9712a08.jpg
 
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The thought of a mountain lion being in the same forest as me makes me sceeerd.LOL Serious it does make me abit jumpy. When you go back I hope you do have some good self defense. Oh bears make me pretyy nervous too. I like Indiana, coyotes and squrirrels don scare me quite so bad.
Daryl P. Its O.K. you can laugh at me.
 
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KitFox,

That's a hound dog... Probably a Walker hound. They have big wide feet like that.

$bob$



My GPS is 8.75 inches long, I don't think a dogs track would "stretch out" that big in the mud. If it wasn't for the mud, it is more along the size of a Tiger, which is out of the question.

I conferred with the park ranger, and they have had several sightings of Mt. Lions in the park (as well as multiple signs warning hikers of being in big cat country.)
 


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