Species: Gray wolf (Canis lupus)
What to look for
- Size. About 5 inches long by 4 inches wide (13 by 10 cm). Mount Rainier's guide measures front tracks at 3.5 to 5.1 inches (8.9 to 12.4 cm) long and 2.9 to 4.9 inches (7.5 to 12.4 cm) wide.
- Front against hind. The front paws are significantly larger and wider than the hind, so a clean pair of prints is visibly mismatched.
- Toes and claws. Four symmetrical toes with claw marks present, and the toe pads register deeper than the palm pad.
- Foot pad. A single lobe at the front edge, which is a canid feature and rules out any cat.
- Stride. A direct register or overstep walk gives a stride of 43.9 to 48.6 inches (111.5 to 123.5 cm) and a trail width of 4.9 to 9.1 inches (12.5 to 23 cm).
- Trail. Wolves travel a direct, energy-efficient, purposeful route. Dog trails meander.
Easily confused with
Large domestic dog tracks. Even the largest breeds usually leave tracks smaller than a wolf's, and the most reliable tell is a set of human tracks accompanying them.
Coyote tracks. About half the size, near 2.5 inches long by 2 inches wide, laid down in a tighter overlapping walking line.
Mountain lion tracks. Similar overall width but round rather than oval, with three lobes on the heel pad and no claw marks.
Where and when
Gray wolf range in the contiguous United States is limited and managed state by state. Washington, for example, runs a recovery program and publishes an identification page because dogs get reported as wolves so often. Tracks are most useful when a whole trail line preserves stride, trail width and the direct route of travel.
Related signs
- Coyote vs wolf: A gray wolf is roughly twice a coyote's size.
- 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.
- Mountain lion tracks: A mountain lion track is round, 2.75 to 3.75 inches wide, with four teardrop-shaped toes and no claw marks.