Coyote tracks.

[HaMeR]

I found these tracks yesterday while out groundhoggin. They are in somewhat sandy soil & we had 1/2" of rain less than 20hrs before we found these. There were 2 distinct sets but one set had a little bit of rain marks in them. These tracks are 3 1/4" from claw tip to the back of the pad & 2 3/4" wide across the widest point at the center.

Track over track. Those 3 tiny rocks on the left are laying lose on top of the track & are not embedded in the track.


For those of you that know how to age tracks,, I don't know how to do it,, the little green plant in the center of this track is still embedded in the soil if this means anything to you.


The tiny rock on the right rear of this track was laying there loose also.


Do you need anymore info than this to age these?? 

[alscalls]

Were they like this....
o                                 o          The one on the left is more staggard and probably a house dog. The reason I ask is the toe
                                                 nails are leaning in some of these and could be a house dog that needs a trim.
    o                                            Also can you tell the difference between the front and the rear paws? If so wich are
                     OR            o           These?
o
                                   o                               
     o
                                      o

[FinsnFur]

I'll take them all 
PM me how you'd like payment

[DirtyDog]

I'll take them all 
PM me how you'd like payment

 

[Bills Custom Calls]

Jims brain went on vacation without him  :roflmao: :roflmao:

Jim you should hold off posting till you get back   

Jim will be as close to normal as possible by mid next week 

[FinsnFur]

 

[alscalls]

Do it HaMer!!! Sell him some coyote tracks.........

[Bills Custom Calls]

Hamer will have them tracks packaged up and ready for shipment as soon as you get back Jim

Just send the $$$$ to my paypal Jim 

[HaMeR]

 

Just send the $$$$ to my paypal Jim   

Am I gettin screwed on this deal or is it just my imagination here?? 


HEY BOP!! Keep that stuff to your self!! It's gonna send Jimbo to the poor house buying all these damn tracks!! 

[George Ackley]

Do you think the 2 top photos are from the same dog???
It's hard to tell by the photos but I will give it a shot ,
the top track looks to be a big male dog
and the 2 track look to come from a female dog
both I would say are domestic dogs by the size of the track alone

I think the top track was after the rain , thinking this because the ridges in the track are still sharp and the cracks in the mud around the edges of the track in the first photo and the 3 photo,
the 2 track look much older it look to be worn down from the rain..

as for the age?? both adult dogs is all I can say

but, I don't really know anything bye just looking at  photos :just given it a shot

why do I think the top one was a male , i have always thought in my opinion that big males are wider at the chest then at the hips and that's why the back track is on the inside of the front track
i have the same opinion about females that they are wider at the hips then they are at the chest for given berth so in the 2 photo it looks like the back track is on the out side of the front track

these are just my thoughts i am not saying they are facts

[HaMeR]

Thanks for all the replies guys.    I've hunted this property for 10 years almost & have never seen a domestic dog that would be this big out there. I'm still new to the game by most any standard & thought these were a big ol coyote track. I guess upon further review the toe nails need to be closer together on the front. These were also found les than 200yds from where I've shot 2 on this farm at.

Thanks!! 

[coyotehunter_1]

HaMer,
Sometime it's really hard to tell dog from coyote. I've been fooled myself, on occasion. 

CCP started a thread (in the predator primer section) that helps show the differences. A good read !! 

http://finsandfur.net/forums/index.php?topic=821.0

[HaMeR]

Thanks Chet. I'll check that out. 

[Jimmie in Ky]

First two pics look like dog to me. Third pic is dog and coyote, small track coyote. All tracks are five to eight hours old. The sand is starting to crumble into them some and the grass is starting to straighten back up in the two photos that have it in the tracks. In that soil condition water would still show in the bottoms if they were less than an hour. At twenty four hours the ridges in those would be dry. Jimmie

[HaMeR]

Thanks Jimmy!!

Now I'm wondering if maybe there isn't a female coyote out there running with a big male dog. 

Or just coincidence?

[Bofire]

An old country tale I have heard is that with a coyote track;
You can draw an X from the space between the outside toe and the second toe(both sides) past the center pad and the X will have straight lines and be a perfect X. With a dog if you try to draw the X you will have to "wiggle' the lines that make the X.
I have looked at some fresh coyote tracks, fresh cause I  just shot the yote, and the X thing worked. I compasred with my dogs tracks and the X lines did indeed have to "wiggle' thru the track. I think the center pad is further towards the rear of the foot on a yote and crowded up towards the toe pads on a dog, and it seems like the toes are more in front of the pad on a yote and more rounded out on a dog.

I cant seem to spain this very well, wish I could draw a picture. WOW look at the "trax" post on top of this board, you can see what I mean in the 2nd and third pics.
Carl

[Jimmie in Ky]

Take a good look  at the heels of th main pads of the tracks. See t diferences ? How the heel of the small track is rounded and the other almost flat across?

You have to remember that they are both canines with th same travel and hunting habits.  Physiological diferences in the way they each move shows the only diferences in them. So it's not that unusual to find tracks from both in the same areas in farm country where the pet pooch runs loose most of the time. And many bitches are in heat at this time of year so your assumption may be the other way around, male coyote on the track of a bitch in heat . Jimmie

[RShaw]

Male coyotes are not produceing any testosterone this time of the year. Acutally they are only capable of breeding about 3 months out of the year. Female coyotes only come in heat during the same time period. So if a coyote and dog are running together, it has nothing to do with sex.

Randy

[alscalls]

I must dissagree, I have had a lot of complaints about coyotes after the pet female cause she was in heat and if I could bottle that stuff right then and there I would use it for sure!!

[RShaw]

Female coyotes are monstrous which means they only experience estrus once every year (Bekoff & Wells 1980; Gompper 2002; Harrington et al 1987). Breeding season for all coyotes, including males, occurs during a 2-4 week time period in midwinter (Bekoff & Wells 1980; Harrington et al. 1987). Male coyotes only produce sperm during the short female breeding season. After breeding season ends in early spring, the male's testicles regress into his body and spermatogenesis stops. This allows males to conserve energy by not producing sperm when females aren't receptive (Gompper 2002). Each individual female is only in estrus for approximately 10 days. If the male attempts copulation before the female is ready she will reject or threaten him until the appropriate time comes (Harrington et al. 1987). However, even with female rejection of premature copulations, forced copulation has been observed in coyotes when the female is not receptive (Harrington et al. 1987).

Randy

Edit to add.....I copy pasted this from another site, but there are many other studies that say the same thing.