help identify tracks, please

[5Leepy!]

I'm no good with tracks so I thought I'd ask... anyone have an idea of what this is? 4 claw marks facing front and seems too large for a coon. I'm in an urban area in Austin, TX so keep that in mind for possibilites.

Thanks!
5Leepy!

 

[Abirdbrain]

For common tracks, an older copy of the Boyscout handbook has Harlequin samples drawn out that are easy to read, from diferences in Dog, Coyote, and beyond. I am not sure of later copies.

 

[5Leepy!]

Thank you... I've been googling tracks and I'm thinking it IS a raccoon. Apparently their tracks are larger than you'd think because they're flat footed. I'm guessing this is a hind footprint.

 

[7L Farm]

Looks like a stinking coon get your trap out & hammer him before he hammers your birds.

 

[Capvin]

Racoon is the only tracks that look something like a hand print. Looks like one to me.

 

[5Leepy!]

funny you mention that... I've noticed that on the door to our run staples keep coming out of the hardware cloth. I'm finding 1 or 2 a day on the ground and a small part of the hardware cloth pushed in. Nothing a coon could get through but it's daily so I'm guessing they're persistent and will keep working at it. We re-staple and then more come out. Because the area it keeps happening at is waist high, we were thinking maybe it was the heat (in the 100's here every day)... why would a coon work so high up when they could work down lower more comfortably? I found the track yesterday evening and sent it to my husband who was at work at a Ranch here. When I woke up this morning 2 traps had showed up in our yard... guess my DH has the same idea. I'll have to talk to him about what his plan is after he catches them when he wakes up... hoping it's to relocate them out to the Ranch he works at. That's a 45 minute drive from here, no way they could find their way back. I'll have to look up the regulations around here about trapping to see how to best go about this.

Now to figure out a way to keep the squirrels and doves away from our yard....

By the way, how small of a hole can a coon get through? I keep reading that they can get through small holes but I don't know what "small" is. I know we can't get rid of all coons and opposums around here as there's a creek nearby and I'm sure plenty of urban trash to keep them happy.

Thanks,
5Leepy!

 

[spiritdance]

Could be a skunk. If the ground is hard sometimes the 5th toe doesn't show. In either case, it's not a critter you want getting cozy around your coop. Time to break out the trap. Bait it with some fresh eggs since you're in an urban area. You'll attract skunks or coons but not the neighbor's cat.