Tom Brown's Animal Track Averages
by Tom Brown Jr.

 
Animal Front Feet Rear Foot Trail Width Slow Stride Running
Cat Family          
(Feral) House Cat 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 1-3/8 x 1-3/8 3 7 12-40
Bobcat 2 x 1-7/8 1-7/8 x 1-5/8 5 10 to 13 15-45
Lynx 3-3/4 x 3-3/4 3-3/4 x 3-1/2 7 12 to 14 30-50
Mountain Lion 3-1/4 x 3-1/2 3 x 3-1/4 8 14 to 17 3-6 feet
Dog Family  (Canines)          
Grey Wolf 4-3/4 x 4-1/4 4-1/2 x 4-1/8 7 16 to 18 25-54
Coyote 2-5/8 x 2-1/8 2-3/8 x 2 5 13 to 16 16-50
Red Fox 2-3/8 x 2 2-1/8 x 2 4-1/2 10 to 14 18-36
Grey Fox 1-5/8 x 1-3/8 1-1/2 x 1-1/4 3-3/4 8 to 12 18-36
Rabbit Family          
White-Tailed Jackrabbit 1-1/2 x 1 3-1/2 x 3 8 10 to 15 3-9 feet, max 20 feet
Black-Tailed Jackrabbit 1-1/2 x 1-1/8 2-5/8 x 2 7-1/2 9 to 12 5-12 feet, max 15 feet
Snowshoe Hare 1-1/2 x 1-1/8 3 x 2 8 10 to 12 3-7 feet
Cottontails 7/8 x 5/8 2-3/4 x 1-1/8 6 7 to 12 15-36
Weasel Family          
Longtail Weasel 1-1/8 x 1/2 1-1/2 x 3/4 2-3/4 to 3-1/4  10 to 13 14 to 18
Shorttail Weasel 3/4 x 3/8 1 x 1/2 2-3/4 7 to 12 12 to 16
Least Weasel 3/8 x 1/4 5/8 x 3/8 1 6 to 8 8 to 12
Mink 1 x 1-3/8 1-1/8 x 1-1/2 3 9 to 20 20 to 30
River Otter 2-5/8 x 3 2-7/8 x 3-1/8 6 15 to 18 18 to 30
Wolverine 4-1/2 x 4-1/2 3-1/2 x 3-3/8 10 16 to 18 19 to 36
Fisher 3 x 3 2-7/8 x 2-5/8 4 to 8 12 to 18 19 to 30 
Martin 1-3/4 x 1-3/4 1-3/8 x 1-5/8 5 to 6 6 to 9 10 to 23 
Striped Skunk 7/8 x 1-1/8 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 7 to 9 5 to 8 10 to 18
Spotted Skunk 7/8 x 1 1-1/8 x 1-1/4 6 4 to 6 8 to 12
Badger 2-1/8 x 2 2 x 2 9 to 11 9 to 12 12 to 24
Raccoons, Opossums and Bears          
Grizzly Bear 5-1/2 x 5-1/8 9-7/8 x 5-5/8 18 18 to 20 3 to 6 feet
Black Bear 4-1/2 x 4 6-7/8 x 3-1/2 14 18 2 to 5 feet
Raccoon 3 x 3 3-3/4 x 3-3/8 8 to 10 12 to 16 16 to 28
Opossum 1-7/8 x 2 2-1/2 x 2-1/4 7 to 10 10 to 15
Rodent Family          
Woodchuck; Marmots 2-1/8 x 1-7/8 1-5/8 x 1-3/8 5 6 to 8 12 to 20
Ground Squirrels 5/8 x 3/8 7/8 x 5/8 2 to 3-1/4 2 to 7 7 to 15
Chipmunks 1/2 x 1/2 1-1/8 x 3/4 2 4 to 7 7 to 9
Red Squirrel 1/2 x 3/8 7/8 x 5/8 4 5 to 9 9 to 30
Grey Squirrel 2 x 1-3/8 2-5/8 x 1-1/4 5 10 to 15  16 to 38
Beaver 2 x 2 5 x 5-1/4 8 to 11 4 to 6 7 to 24 
Porcupine 1-3/4 x 1-1/4 2-1/4 x 1-1/2 8 6 10 to 24
Muskrat 1 x 1 2 x 2 3-1/2 3 to 6 7 to 15
Norway Rat 5/8 x 3/4 7/8 x 7/8 3-1/8 2-1/2 to 5 5 to 8 
House Mouse 1/4 x 1/4 5/8 x 3/8 1 2-1/2 4 to 6
Bushytail Woodrat 3/4 x 1/2 1 x 5/8 2-1/2 4-1/2 to 7-1/2 7-1/2 to 10
Whitefooted Mouse 5/8 x 3/8 3/8 x 5/8 1-1/2 2-1/2  4 to 6
Meadow Vole 3/16 x 3/16 1/4 x 1/4 1-1/4 1/2 to 1-1/2 1-1/2 to 4
Deer Family          
Whitetail Deer 3 x 1-7/8 2-5/8 x 1-1/2 6 18 to 21 6 to 9 feet
Mule Deer 3-1/4 x 2-5/8 3-1/8 x 2-1/2 6 21 to 24 6 to 15 feet
Elk 4-3/4 x 3 4-1/4 x 2-7/8 8 26 to 28  6 to 9 feet
Moose 6 x 3-1/2 5-5/8 x 3-1/2 9 to 10 30 to 33 8 to 10 feet
Mountain Goat 3 x 1-7/8 2-5/8 x 1-1/2 6-1/2 15 4 to 6 feet
Bighorn Sheep 3-1/2 x 2-1/2 3 x 2 7 to 8 18 to 23 6 to 9 feet
 
 

From The Tracker magazine, Summer 1983, published by the Tracker School.
For more articles from The Tracker magazine, visit the Tracker Trail website.

 
  

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