Which Animals Made These Tracks in the Snow? New York DEC Shows Us

Have you ever spotted animal tracks in fresh snow and wondered who left them? Figuring out which animals roam an area can be surprisingly fun and easy if you know a few basics about how animals move and the patterns they leave behind.

First off, snow conditions play a big role in how tracks look. Wet snow tends to show crisp, clear prints, while dry, powdery snow makes tracks fuzzier and harder to read.

Next, think about how the animal moves which is their gait. Most animals get around using one of four main gaits. The most common is walking. Tracks from a walk usually show evenly spaced prints in neat rows, with a short stride and wide stance.

Trotting comes next. This is when the opposite front and hind feet move together. As the animal speeds up, the prints spread farther apart.

Galloping, a faster and energy-intensive gait, leaves smaller straddles but longer strides. And then there’s jumping, like what you’d see from squirrels and rabbits, where all four feet sometimes leave the ground at once.

The shape of the track can also reveal the animal’s identity. Cat family tracks are round with four toes and no claw marks (cats retract their claws). Dog family tracks like foxes or coyotes also show four toes but are more oval, with claws visible. Deer tracks are heart-shaped, while moose tracks look similar but much larger. Rodents and weasels leave more varied tracks, so having a guide handy can help.