# Coyote tracks, dog tracks, fox tracks? How to tell difference?



## lswoody (Oct 8, 2005)

I don't set out to hunt fox or coyotes, but will take one if it comes around while I'm deer hunting. I was scouting out a place today and found some kind of canine tracks. How to tell the difference? Thanks, Scott Woody


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## ryanwhit (Oct 9, 2005)

well, it can be tough and somewhat subjective.  Fox tracks are of course smaller, and you can usually see where there is some hair between the pads.  You may not be able to see where the hair left a mark on the ground, but where the outline of the pad ought to be.  Red foxes have more hair between the pads than grey foxes.  Grey foxes usually inhabit more wooded areas, while reds are usually in more open areas (usually!!).  

Coyote tracks tend to be more pointed than dog tracks, and bigger than fox tracks, but that of course depends on the size of the individual leaving the track.  You can sometimes tell that the claw mark of a coyote looks sharper than that of a dogs.

Dog tracks are usually wider than coyotes, sometimes just all together bigger cause some dogs get bigger than yotes.  Their tracks look blunter than coyotes.

Of course, sometimes the tracks appearences seem to overlap, so it can be just a guess.

hope this helps.


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## Son (Oct 9, 2005)

*canine tracks*

Don't worry about little dogs in the woods, they don't survive. 
Fox tracks are small, narrow and show some toenail scratches
Coyote tracks are similar to a dog, but more narrow, they do a lot or marking along roads, intersections etc.. by scratching. I've seen hunters mistake their signpost for turkey scratchings.
Dogs, usually big, more round, wide as long and they like to run up and down the roads the most, unless they are trailing something. Follow dog tracks out your roads to the county road, have a camera setup to take their pictures and you'll probably see 'em sleeping the nights ventures off in somebodys yard. I then knock on the door and ask they pen them up while hunting season is ongoing. There's been some almost wars over dogs in our region in the last couple years.


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## lswoody (Oct 10, 2005)

Thanks for the info guys!!!!!!!


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## GeauxLSU (Oct 10, 2005)

You may find this info helpful (scroll down a little) http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache...%200705.pdf+coyote+tracks+vs+dog+tracks&hl=en


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## evan gourley (Oct 10, 2005)

i know this sounds crazy but i look for scat(poop,doo-doo,etc.)
more than for tracks.coyote poop tends to be long and slender with lots of hair and bone fragments in it.coyotes poop a lot so look for the doo!    evan


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## LJay (Oct 11, 2005)

*tracks*

Best way to tell is see what's standing in them!!!!


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