Need help identifying this track

[crumy]

I believe it canine and not feline. The part is I am hoping it is coyote and not the bigger cousin. Some thing to note, I found a dead elk calf on Saturday. I went back into the area today (Tuesday). The entire calf was gone. No blood, hear or anything. Like it carried off and I found this track in the mud near where the calf was.

This was taken in South Eastern Wyoming near Arlington.

 

[Murdy]

I agree it canine. (Good website on the subject: http://www.bear-tracker.com/caninevsfeline.html ). Beyond that, kind of hard to tell without any persective. How big was it?

 

[crumy]

It is 3 1/4 inches oustside to outside.

 

[Murdy]

Probably a big dog, awful big for a 'yote, but you never know:
"The size of a wolf's track is dependent on the age and size of the wolf, as well as the substrate the track was made in. A good size estimate for a gray wolf's track size is 4 1/2 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide. In comparison, a coyote's track will be closer to 2 1/2 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. Only a few breeds of dogs leave tracks longer than 4 inches (Great Danes, St. Bernards, and some bloodhounds). Red wolves have smaller feet than gray wolves."

http://www.wolf.org/wolves/learn/basic/faqs/faq.asp#15

 

[bigshot]

It sorta looks like a lion to me, I have pictures of a similer track that I know was a Lion cause my dogs treed it after it killed a 110 pound german shepard and carried it away. I'll try and find the picture. A lion will walk with it claws out under a heavy load and in slick mud!!

Its hard to see, but does the track have a high center? if so then its a dog.

 

[wolftalonID]

Tracks should always be measured length and width. The length of the toe pads and the more triagular shape of the foot pad is a wolf. Here is a pic to compare to. I wear a size 12 boot. This is a wolf track in mud. Also the claws on a cat usually even in mud only leave a dot, not so much of a length like in your photo.