It is essential to be able to find out the difference between the tracks of similar species of animals. It saves your time and helps you in searching for the specific animal that you are licensed to hunt. The tracks of moose and elk may initially seem to be confusing to you. But they can be easily differentiated by those persons who know exactly what to look for.
What Do Moose Track Look Like?
Moose are the largest hooved animals. They have two toes that curve together into a point. That forms a print nearly like a heart shape. Their heavy hooves sink down deep into snow that sometimes allows the dewclaws to appear in the track. The measure of these tracks is 5-7” long, about the size of your hand.
How Are Moose Tracks Identifiable?
The tracks of these creatures can be easily identified by the shape and size of the moose. They are the largest living member of the deer family and bear the largest set of feet. Tracks can be found anywhere near the place that moose lives.
What kind of feet do moose have?
Hooves are the hard surface that covers the moose feet. They have cloven hooves with two toes that spread apart like fingers which help these animals to walk in mud and snow.
How can you tell a moose track?
The footprints for the male moose are generally made in a line. Moreover, the distance between the prints of the front legs is slightly larger than the distance between the prints of the rear legs. When a moose is tracked in the snow, one should look for urine spots. If the urine spots are directly between the tracks of the rear legs, a cow has probably made it.
Difference between Moose and Elk Tracks in Terms of Number
If you have found a track in the forest, try to search for other similar tracks in the surroundings. Dozens or hundreds of tracks indicate that they are made by an elk. They always travel in large numbers or social groups. On the other hand, a moose travels alone or in a small group consisting of family members only.
Difference between Moose and Elk Tracks in Terms of Shape
The hooves of moose have toes that are sharply pointed inward at the tips. So when they move, these hooves give the tracks elongated heart shapes. On the other hand, the hooves of Elk have rounded toes. Moreover, each segment of the hoof is parallel to one another. These give the shapes of the tracks that are more or less similar to the silhouette of a molar tooth.
Final Words
It would be helpful if you can realize that what you see on the drawings and images on the internet can be different from the ones that are outdoors. A track left in the snow may look quite different from a track in the mud, in spite of the fact that they are made by the same moose. It may also be noted that a track left in the snow may change after some time as the hit of the sun increases.