What made these tracks?

[deacons]

Sorry to post another thread like this, but I've read a ton of them and looked at lots of animal track websites, and can't figure it out. Fortunately, I'm not seeing this near my coop- YET. But, whatever it is is pretty bold, because this was on and around my front steps to my house, which gets lots of foot traffic, including two large dogs.

Any guesses? I'm really thrown off by how pointy the claws look. In our area, we have the standard variety predators, including possums, raccoons, fishers, weasels, foxes, coyotes. Obviously not fox or coyote, but weasel maybe? I can't figure it out. But I think I'm most worried about my coop and run holding up to a weasel.

These are weird, they just stop like this, there are only two prints, not 4.



Closer version of above:



This was the only set of tracks that seemed to show the reach, although it was jumping up a step...

 

[Granny Hatchet]

you said they just stop? like a big bird that hopped up then flew away?

 

[getaclue]

Best guess....Opossum

 

[deacons]

you said they just stop? like a big bird that hopped up then flew away?

No, I don't think a bird. I think it was jumping/running through the snow, and jumped out of the snowy patch onto some rocks that weren't covered with snow, so the front tracks didn't show up. If you look at the last picture, it looks like maybe the big claw feet are back feet, with the front paws not seeming to have such pronounced claws. That last picture is what made me doubt it was a possum, because what looks like the front feet (up on the rock) don't seem to have "fingers" like you might see on a possum track?

 

[deacons]

I just had a funny thought-do you think it could have been my cat? He hates getting his feet wet or in snow, so could explain the weird prints and also why they are just right around the front door and nowhere else?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

im seeing 3 points

 

[zazouse]

well I ain't good at tracking in the snow but I tell ya I think them there are chicken tracks

 

[Granny Hatchet]

this is what my mother said also. i said bird but yes, i was thinking turkey

 

[deacons]

I really don't think chicken or turkey. We have tons of wild turkeys around here, and their feet are BIG. Here is a picture of my own chickens' tracks in the snow- and the turkeys are probably 1.5x bigger.

 

[zazouse]

Those tracks look fresh where the others look melted which will distorted the print as the snow melts ,