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Post by genesis273 on Jan 23, 2022 21:17:43 GMT -5
Trying to be a little more resourceful when tracking. So, I appears that both rabbits and squirrels have similar tracks in the snow. Both front feet together in the middle with their elongated rear feet out on the sides. Rear feet ahead of the front indicate their direction of travel. This is my basic knowledge.
How about linear movement? Does one vs the other tend to stay on straight lines vs. random patterns? Do only the rabbits go under the deadfalls or do the squirrels go under them as well?
Any other education would be great.
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Post by esshup on Jan 23, 2022 22:07:25 GMT -5
You see pieces of carrots near the rabbit tracks. Remember Bugs Bunny?  |
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 23, 2022 22:35:14 GMT -5
Good observation! Lol!
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Post by Russ Koon on Jan 23, 2022 23:21:04 GMT -5
They are somewhat similar, and the differences between them are sort of hard to describe clearly enough to use as a tool for a beginning tracker.
I remember following them and wondering which I was actually trailing, until the tracks led up to the base of a tree. That may still be the most effective way to tell them apart, but after a while you do see some subtle hints may be difficult to describe but that do make them more readily identifiable. The length of the rabbit rear paw print relative to the front paw, the distance covered between sets of prints, etc., are indicators that may not provide immediate proof of the animal species, but gradually become a more reliable indicator after you've trailed each a few times.
Looks like we may have some good tracking snow coming soon.
I still enjoy a walk in the winter woods a day or two after a snow, reading the tracks and decoding the tales they tell. Not as dramatic as trail cam pics, but fun.
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Post by esshup on Jan 24, 2022 0:11:43 GMT -5
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Post by stevein on Jan 24, 2022 1:48:28 GMT -5
If you are following rabbit tracks and they end at a tree you were really following a squirrel.  A running rabbit's tracks look like a T. A running squirrel places his front feet together then the hind feet come down together in the front. Hopping the tracks look similar but a rabbit will have larger rear footprints. |
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Post by trapperdave on Jan 29, 2022 18:05:00 GMT -5
Easy peasy.... squirrels front feet land next to each other. Rabbits front feet are one in front of the other. Really not similar at all
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