Crash Course in Moose Tracks
Most deer species (elk, moose, white-tail, and mule deer) leave very similar tracks that can be hard to distinguish from one another. They all have two-toed hooves and dewclaws that leave small circular marks behind each hoof print. Here is a quick check list that may help you identify a moose track:
First, how big is each track?
1. Moose are the largest of the deer species, so they will tend to leave the largest tracks. A moose hoof print is about 3.5-5 inches wide and about 4.5-6 inches long depending on if it was left by a young juvenile or an adult. Elk tracks are slightly smaller (2.5-4 inches wide and 4-5 inches long), this really isn’t enough of a difference to recognize by size alone. Deer tracks on the other hand are tiny compared to moose (1.6-2.5 inches wide and 2-3.5 inches long). Your hand can be a good measurement tool! Compare the track to your palm, if it is larger than your palm it was most likely left by an elk or moose.
The tracks are too large to be a deer... what shape are the toes?
2. For a moose, each toe is pointed at the front and widens toward the back, whereas the toes on an elk hoof are closer to an equal oval shape. Look closely, do the toes look more like a triangle or an oval?
Hmm. What if the tracks are not clear enough to really see the toe shape? What other clues can I find?
3. Moose do not live in herds. When they are seen together it is generally a mother and calf, or individuals that are gathering around a resource such as water or favorite food. Generally there will only be a single set of moose tracks.
4. Elk do live in herds and travel together. It is common to see multiple sets of tracks all heading in the same direction or a worn trail from individuals traveling together.
Ok… the tracks are bigger than my palm, the toes are pointy and almost look like a triangle, and there are not a bunch of other similar tracks around it…. It’s probably a moose track!
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| This track is less than 3 inches long, so it is likely from a deer. | The track is larger and the toes appear to be more oval-shaped. It was probably left by an elk. | Notice the pointed toes... perhaps a moose left this one? |
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