Species: Mountain lion (Puma concolor)

What to look for

  1. Width. 2.75 to 3.75 inches (7 to 9.5 cm). Mount Rainier's guide measures front tracks at 3.1 to 4 inches (7.8 to 10.1 cm) long and 2.75 to 4.4 inches (7 to 11 cm) wide.
  2. Overall shape. Round, with the palm pad making up at least half of the total track.
  3. Heel pad. Three lobes along the bottom edge. Dogs and coyotes show a single indent there.
  4. Toes. Four register out of the five the animal has, and they are teardrop shaped rather than the ovals a dog or a bobcat leaves.
  5. Claws. Normally absent, because the claws retract. On the rare occasion they print, the marks are slender and sharp rather than the blunt flat marks a dog leaves.
  6. Stride and scrapes. About 20 inches (51 cm) between prints at a walk. Rectangular depressions called scrapes, made with the hind feet to mark territory, often turn up along the same route.

Easily confused with

Bobcat tracks. Less than 2 inches (5 cm) wide against 2.75 to 3.75 inches for a mountain lion, with front tracks measuring 1.5 to 2.25 inches long.

Large dog tracks. One indent in the heel pad instead of three lobes, oval toes, and blunt flat claw marks that usually do print.

Canada lynx tracks. Similar in size, but densely furred pads make the outline indistinct where a lion's track is usually well defined.

Where and when

Confirmed mountain lion status can be much narrower than reports suggest. Missouri, for one, counts the species as extirpated with no breeding population, while still logging confirmed sightings scattered statewide. Clear tracks are most useful when the heel pad, toe shape and absence of claws remain sharp enough to compare with agency guidance.

Keep your distance

Encounters are uncommon, and your state wildlife agency publishes the guidance for your area. Many agencies also take reports of confirmed tracks, which is the useful thing to do with a clear, scaled photograph.

Related signs

  • Bobcat vs mountain lion: The tail decides it.
  • Bear tracks: A black bear leaves two very different prints.
  • Coyote tracks: A coyote track is a compact oval about 2.5 inches long and 2 inches wide, with four toes and toenail marks that nearly always print.

Sources