A buddy of mine was in the woods today and came upon a deer kill. He took a picture of the clearest track he could find. He said the track was as big as his hand. What's your best guess?

https://i.postimg.cc/GpSWTdFc/25591.jpg

bear

Black bear

Or cougar?

Looks like a Cat track to me, too bad it wasn't a better picture.

Bobcat melted out a bit.

Cat

Bear not cat. Claws wouldn't be seen on a cat track. Front foot of a bear.

Tracks do funny things when melted out. My bet is large bobcat.

That was my initial thought also.

ManBearPig

Half Man
Half Bear
Half Pig

Looks more like a cat than a dog to me. A bear has five toes.

The claw marks threw me for a loop too but that isn't a bear track. It is a cat of some sort and if this is in New York, would almost have to be a bobcat unless some lynx are found there.
The claw marks, if that is what they even are, may just be from oddball and deeper snow conditions pushing further up onto the foot, where the retracted claws are.

?

Cat

Sasquatch walking on tippi-toes.

I was wondering when someone would finally recognize it.

once again Mogwai.

Inconclusive from the track picture, bear, wolf, cat, or alien.

Definitely a cat.
RB

Trapped for thirty years, never saw a cat track with the claws out, no matter what kind of snow. Unless the cat was fighting or killing at the moment.

Claw marks are right in the pad. A bear would be out front. One print makes it tough, but the track and pads are very round like a cat print.....hence Bob kitty.

Bears have 5 toes and if you drew a line from toe tip to toe tip, it would be straighter. Cat has 4 toes and if you drew a line from toe tip to toe tip, it would be more of an arc. While a cat would normally have its claws retracted, that's not a given.

Melted out track of a big fisher

Owl?

Chupacabra.

lolololol

Looks like a cat to me.

Cats claws come out as weight is put on the foot, my vote is cat. Bear would have been wider with claw marks going through the surface

My guess is cat; but that's only my wild, uneducated guess. I sometimes see smaller, somewhat similar tracks in the woods from a couple of the local free running kitty kats that live up the road.

I got drunk and was making faux critter tracks with my mushroom head and berries, trying to confuse you all.

Jokes on you fückers!

I realize bears come out of their dens from time to time while hibernating, not knowing anything about the other side of the Continent, aren't they supposed to be sleeping over there LOL?

Funny cabin fever

You need to shave. Those claws could injure Tarquin's tonsils.

Many good artist did their best work when a bit intoxicated. Nice work!

Without a doubt a cat... with a crooked left upper canine, a limp on his right rear foot (yes, it's he), and a catarac in his left eye.
He also killed a rabbit on January 9th.

Cat

Cat

Cougar pulls the hair off a deer before eating it, easiest way to tell.

Yup.

Looks like a cat to me. Probably a large Bobcat track that melted out if the photo is from New York..

...but if Santiam and 1minute both say cat, I ain't gonna argue.

Those guys know way more than I ever will.

What makes you guys say cat?

Bobcat or feral cat.

How wide and long was the print?

Bobcat/lynx

Definitely not bear. A bear track shows the front toes almost straight across from one another, not rounded like a cat's.

This. No claw marks.

Past time for a trail cam.

House cat, track melted out.

That's what happens when a pussy track gets sun

Everybody overlooking the obvious. LOL There's more evidence than just a track to solve a mystery. For example, more tracks than just the one! LOL

Was the deer partially buried in brush to keep the birds from seeing it? Was the hair pulled off it?

Cat.


Black bear



Bobcat

The OP track, enlarged and lightened.

Bruce

Confused bear LOL

Tis no bear. ''Tis a cat of sorts...
Been over long in Alaska and never seen a bob cat but a 30+ pound lynx could easily score a track like that with a little melt in the snow. Easier for a cougar...
Cat it is.

I'm still thinking it's a melted out track of a big male fisher. I have seen more than a few of them.

Because it's a cat that's why..

Doubtful for a lynx. Pad likely to be larger than what appears in photo.

IF that is five toes registering...not a cat.

If track IS as "big as a hand" (3-4") or larger as well as being an overstep...am going with right hind print...mountain lion. Smaller...bobcat.

BTW, otters (front) have a similar print that shows their toenail impressions. If this is an "overstep" the possible toe impress below and to the left of the main impression could make it a Northern River otter. Also five toes.

Wishing he would have shown the other prints. Ask him.

Ditto. If it showed 3 lobes on the back of the pad that would cinch it as cat.

Generally claws don't show on cat tracks but there are plenty of times when they do, and I've got photos of at least two cougar tracks with claws showing. It is not an always or never. A series of several tracks showing length of stride, hind foot if it is bear, a pattern and a clear pad heel would be too much to expect. With some melting, as others have said, it could be one of several critters but my first impression is cat.

Well there ya' go.

Heym, I'm jumping ship and going with cat.

Study up. Even a domestic dog front print has three parts to the pad and shows toenail impressions.