If we don’t see wildlife when we explore Colorado’s great outdoors, does that mean that there are no animals present? Nothing could be farther from the truth—learn to decipher the clues that animals leave behind and you will discover their presence almost everywhere.
Among many pieces of evidence, animal tracks can provide some of the most intriguing stories of animal activity. An experienced tracker can observe a set of tracks and unravel the mystery of what the animal was doing when there were no human eyes to observe it.
Experienced or not, a good tracker should always carry a compact field guide to aid in track identification. There are lots of books on the subject—James Halfpenny’s Scats and Tracks of the Rocky Mountains is one of the better ones. Some additional items to carry in your “track kit” are: small notebook, pencil, camera, ruler or measuring tape, and track casting supplies (plaster-of-Paris, mixing cup, water, and spoon).
Knowing some individual family traits of Colorado mammal footprints can help you to narrow your search. In the canid family (dogs, coyotes, foxes), tracks are somewhat rectangular in shape, have four toes and often show short, blunt claw marks. Felines, like the house cat, bobcat, lynx, and mountain lion, tend to have rounded tracks. Under most circumstances claws, which are retractable, do not show in a cat’s footprint. Felines also have four digits that register in their tracks and the heel pad has three lobes on its trailing edge. Mammals that register five toes in their tracks include bears, raccoons, and opossums. Black bear tracks are the largest and fairly easy to distinguish. A good, clear raccoon print will reveal long, clawed toes with somewhat bulbous ends. Most of the smaller rodents (squirrels and mice) have tiny tracks that register four toes on the front print and five toes on the hind print.
For the beginning tracker, a systematic approach to track identification is best. First, look at the track from above and notice its overall shape, symmetry, and size. Then move closer to the track and examine the toe pads. Are there claw marks present? If claws are present do they appear sharp, blunt, long, or short? Study the shape of the heel pad, if there is one. Draw the track from the observations that you made, then consult the field guide to begin narrowing the list of suspects who might have made the track.
Photographing and casting are two ways to preserve and share your tracking memories. Photos and track molds are great teaching tools. Remember that with a little patience, practice, and some research you too can be a track detective.
You can usually find tracks near waterholes, wetlands or sandy banks. Some suggestions for where to look from the Colorado Wildlife Viewing Guide, Second Edition: Site 87— Longs Canyon Watchable Wildlife Area, west of Trinidad on State Highway 12, and Site 123—Weston Pass, off county road 425 west of Fairplay. But don’t forget to look around in your own backyard for wildlife signs!
(The viewing guide is available at many bookstores, through our online store, or through the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation.)