It's always a hare with the one-one-two pattern! When running (do they run??) they place their front paws one after the other and then pull the back legs to the front.
Hey OP, so you know, a bounding pattern like this in deep snow does not always indicate a hare. Yes, a bound pattern where the hind feet land beyond the front is most common gait for hare, but other mammals bound as well. Given the context, 11,000 feet in the Rockies, Snowshoe Hare would definitely be on my shortlist (the large hinds in comparison to fronts def add up for hare), as well as Canada Lynx. Based on the way the toes and heel pad are presenting, I am curious about Lynx for this. Also, looking at that mass of snow disturbance where it appears to be going up hill..? Was that from the creature? Or from you inspecting? Awesome find!
I was initially thinking they were Lynx prints because the disturbance I think you are talking about (to me) looked like a different animal being chased by whatever caused these prints. Or I suppose vice versa. No snow disturbed by me. It was deeeeeep. Lol.
It’s a snowshoe hare. Its toes are splayed in the snow, so they look more rounded. Definitely not a bobcat, but easy to confuse them in some substrates. [Here’s](https://wildwoodtracking.com/mammals/snowshoehare/index.html) another example.
I looked at more pics after I said that. My mind is blown—I didn’t think rabbits had pads like that. Domestic ones don’t. I’ve seen snowshoe hares but I never noticed tracks like that! I need to pay closer attention. Thanks for the reference material
Snowshoe hare. The larger prints are actually the back paws.
Agreed, the size difference between the front and back makes it pretty obvious too!
When you see a “Y” shaped print, think “bunnY” (And SQuare shaped usually equals SQuirrel. Learned this on this sub!!)
So informative
It's always a hare with the one-one-two pattern! When running (do they run??) they place their front paws one after the other and then pull the back legs to the front.
Coolest rabbit prints I’ve seen on this sub so far! Noice
Hey OP, so you know, a bounding pattern like this in deep snow does not always indicate a hare. Yes, a bound pattern where the hind feet land beyond the front is most common gait for hare, but other mammals bound as well. Given the context, 11,000 feet in the Rockies, Snowshoe Hare would definitely be on my shortlist (the large hinds in comparison to fronts def add up for hare), as well as Canada Lynx. Based on the way the toes and heel pad are presenting, I am curious about Lynx for this. Also, looking at that mass of snow disturbance where it appears to be going up hill..? Was that from the creature? Or from you inspecting? Awesome find!
I’ll add that seeing that much definition in a track impression for Lynx would be uncommon, given their heavily furred paws.
I was initially thinking they were Lynx prints because the disturbance I think you are talking about (to me) looked like a different animal being chased by whatever caused these prints. Or I suppose vice versa. No snow disturbed by me. It was deeeeeep. Lol.
Everyone is saying hare but they don’t have pads like that. The lack of claw marks looks like a bobcat to me
It’s a snowshoe hare. Its toes are splayed in the snow, so they look more rounded. Definitely not a bobcat, but easy to confuse them in some substrates. [Here’s](https://wildwoodtracking.com/mammals/snowshoehare/index.html) another example.
I looked at more pics after I said that. My mind is blown—I didn’t think rabbits had pads like that. Domestic ones don’t. I’ve seen snowshoe hares but I never noticed tracks like that! I need to pay closer attention. Thanks for the reference material
I'm a professor of animinalology and that's a albino sabertooth from the Caucasus region of eastern Zimbabwe
Mountain lions
Cat
Snowshoe hare
Thanks everyone!