Family Camping BASECAMP | LITTLE EXPLORERS | BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW | GETAWAY | BUBBLE STREET
Deer
Wolf Otter
Beaver
Moose [ LITTLE EXPLORERS ] Animal Confidential PLAYING DETECTIVE ON THE TRAIL
Man-made trails through forests and by riversides are walkways for all sorts of wild animals. Stop mistaking dog tracks for wolves and moose tracks for deer with the tips below.
DEER: Deer tracks, shaped like upside down hearts, are about three inches long and are often found on hiking trails. A doe’s back hooves usually fall on top of her front hooves or slightly outside of them. A buck has a wider chest than hindquarters, making his rear tracks fall to the inside. His rear tracks won’t reach the front ones.
WOLF: Many a camper has had their heart race when they found a wolf track, only to meet up with a dog further along the trail. Mature wolves have larger paws than pets; more than four inches long. Their front paws are larger than their rear, and elongated middle toes help distinguish their tracks from the rounder track of your furry best friend.
RIVER OTTER: Inspect the ground near muddy banks and look for an almost round track, two and a half inches wide. Otter claws are close to the toes, giving the toes a pointed look. In soft soil you may see evidence of webbing between the five digits. Look for shellfish remains nearby, a sign of a tasty meal.
BEAVER: Beaver tracks are visible at the edges of their distinctive tail drag. A beaver’s toes are long and thick and sometimes the webbing between the toes is visible. Their back feet are significantly larger, up to seven inches long and five inches wide, while the front are half the size.
48 SPRING 2013
MOOSE:Watch your step on the portage trail—moose leave behind more than just footprints. Their prints range around six and a half inches long and the stride length is much longer than that of a deer. Male moose (bulls) can weigh well over 1,000 pounds but their wide feet help distribute their heavy load like snowshoes, leaving a lighter impression than expected.
ARMADILLO: Foot dragging and a long tail can sometimes obscure an armadillo’s birdlike prints, but look for the distinctive V shape made by the two middle toes of the front feet. Tracks are two inches in length and not quite as wide. Armadillos prefer to stick to well- travelled paths.
BEAR: The least welcome of all campsite visitors. Black bears’ huge five-toed prints display short claws. Bears have significantly larger back feet, which can be up to eight inches long and six inches wide. Their prints often zigzag, as if the bear got into the cooler. Look for claw marks in trees nearby.
RACCOON: Not relegated to the alley, raccoons are common visitors to heavily used campsites. Their distinctive five digit print looks like a tiny child’s hand. Front tracks are about two and a quarter inches long, while the hind tracks are about three inches long. Raccoon tracks are usually paired, with the left hind foot placed beside the right forefoot. —Kaydi Pyette
Armadillo Black Bear
Raccoon
PHOTOS: ISTOCK / INSET:
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84