Help needed in identifying some tracks by my coop

[kartking22]

When I went out to my coop this morning to feed my turkeys, I found these tracks in the snow. Does anyone know what made these?

I live in a rural area of northeastern Wisconsin and seems too big to be coyote tracks.

 

[ArizonaDebbie]

Bobcat?

 

[zazouse]

Canine passing threw, anything stalking your coup would have left many ,many tracks unless something spooked them but those are not tracks left from running away IMO just strolling threw kinda tracks

 

[kartking22]

There are no dogs in my area that would leave this large of a track. All of the neighbors have small house dogs or keep them on a chain.

 

[MeepBeep]

There are no dogs in my area that would leave this large of a track.

Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they are not in the area, in addition to 'pet dogs' there are wild dogs, coyotes and even wolves in NE Wisconsin...

 

[Folly's place]

I agree; dog or wild canine. Mary

 

[ArizonaDebbie]

Maybe a wolf?

 

[Ole and Lena]

Smallish wolf or large dog. Definitely canine. Possibly a really large coyote, I have seen them leave tracks that big right to their last roundup, but I'm leaning towards wolf/dog. I'd have to be there and track it for awhile noting behaviors to be sure. As posted above, appears to be just cruising through. Not a huge concern unless you have other livestock. A game camera baited with a post and coyote urine and feathers would be interesting!

 

[NEChickenNoob]

Use this as a resource: http://westernwildlife.org/gray-wolf-outreach-project/signs-of-wolves/
I have no experience with grey wolf, but I would bet on wolves from your description. But I wouldn't rule out a large dog. Game cam time.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There are no dogs in my area that would leave this large of a track. All of the neighbors have small house dogs or keep them on a chain.

Oh that explains the mystery. Those must be the tracks of a wolf, out looking for some hot dogs for a Saturday morning brunch.

Even the greenest of the greens, the Germans are having second thoughts about wolves returning to the Fatherland.

http://theweek.com/article/index/273838/germany-has-a-serious-wolf-problem

I guess as long as you live in a 4th floor cold water walk-up flat you can be cavalier about the difficulties that wild critters impose on your fellow man.