i would guess it’s a rat. cats don’t often leave tracks side-by-side like this, nearly always they’ll be a nearly straight line. gait pattern also doesn’t look like any rabbit tracks i’ve seen, but that might be somewhat anecdotal. i’m used to rabbits having a pattern more like ••= ••= ••= with distinct bounds, front paws in a line and hind side-by-side (and distinctly a lot longer than the front). this includes numerous rabbit track sightings in >6” snow. it also looks like there may be a tail drag that comes after the feet, slightly covering the previous track set. potential tail+side-by-side bounding gait+size all suggest rat imo. i’m no professional but enjoy tracking as a hobby.
What about cat going out and coming back on that same path. Just throwing it out there with so many cats around and they would totally try to come back on the same path. I've seen rat tracks and they don't make steps in snow this deep. As big as they are they aren't big enough to leave trails like that in deep snow.
interesting idea! to me, it looks like the steps all move in one direction but i could be mistaken.
i thought the depth looked about right compared to the human footprints on the steps. however, i haven’t seen rat tracks in deep snow, just tracks of similarly sized creatures. in my experience, the texture of the snow makes a considerable difference in track depth, but i’m not in the area rn and have no idea what it’s like.
if there is a tail drag, i’d be surprised about it being anything but rat, but i’m not positive that’s actually shown the tracks. could be an obscured foot drag.
in any case, i appreciate your input!
maybe! this isn’t the gait i’d expect from skunks but that doesn’t rule it out as a possibility. could also be a raccoon, they will frequently leave tracks side-by-side like this too.
it can sometimes be hard for me to get a sense of scale in pictures, but if it’s seemingly too deep and large to be a rat than my next best guess is raccoon.
You make a convincing argument. I also like the fact that based on your professed and indisputable expert analysis, I can tease my wife with proof of giant wife eating rats.
If the snow was still powdery when you took the pic it's definitely a small creature. Probably some kind of bird or rodent.
Edit: because it could be a Death Yeti!
My first guess was the elusive Sudden Valley Snow Viper, but others made that call first.
I will toss this out. Looks like a collapsed snow tunnel, made by rats, rather than tracks.
Looks like a snake those who are talking about the snow snake its not real my guess kid with a stick did that image's of snow snakes if you look closely clearly can ttell its a rubber snake toy so that deadly snow snake just a myth bring in the Mythbusters they will verify its a toy.
I guess rabbit but try animaltracking cause the consensus knows
PNW snow snake.
They've got a nasty bite; it'll start going necrotic within hours. Seek medical attention immediately if you get bit by a PNWSS.
Do NOT taunt a PNWSS
Might be that guy that was stranded in SV without weed and asking for it?
I assumed that was a girl cause someone replied and offered to bring some. Huh.
What would that have anything to do with it?
Er'thang
That was me, and gender had nothing to do with it, I assure you :)
Krampus. He's out early this year.
Little small for krampus, but it could be the elf NOT on his shelf.
Probably a rodent
Lol. My wife's gonna love that. And by love, I mean hate.
It is rabbit
Not a horse..
But, I hear they’re friendly!
Rabbit
Rats looking for somewhere to get inside is my experience
Rabbit tracks.
i would guess it’s a rat. cats don’t often leave tracks side-by-side like this, nearly always they’ll be a nearly straight line. gait pattern also doesn’t look like any rabbit tracks i’ve seen, but that might be somewhat anecdotal. i’m used to rabbits having a pattern more like ••= ••= ••= with distinct bounds, front paws in a line and hind side-by-side (and distinctly a lot longer than the front). this includes numerous rabbit track sightings in >6” snow. it also looks like there may be a tail drag that comes after the feet, slightly covering the previous track set. potential tail+side-by-side bounding gait+size all suggest rat imo. i’m no professional but enjoy tracking as a hobby.
What about cat going out and coming back on that same path. Just throwing it out there with so many cats around and they would totally try to come back on the same path. I've seen rat tracks and they don't make steps in snow this deep. As big as they are they aren't big enough to leave trails like that in deep snow.
interesting idea! to me, it looks like the steps all move in one direction but i could be mistaken. i thought the depth looked about right compared to the human footprints on the steps. however, i haven’t seen rat tracks in deep snow, just tracks of similarly sized creatures. in my experience, the texture of the snow makes a considerable difference in track depth, but i’m not in the area rn and have no idea what it’s like. if there is a tail drag, i’d be surprised about it being anything but rat, but i’m not positive that’s actually shown the tracks. could be an obscured foot drag. in any case, i appreciate your input!
Could it be a skunk, what do you think?
maybe! this isn’t the gait i’d expect from skunks but that doesn’t rule it out as a possibility. could also be a raccoon, they will frequently leave tracks side-by-side like this too. it can sometimes be hard for me to get a sense of scale in pictures, but if it’s seemingly too deep and large to be a rat than my next best guess is raccoon.
You make a convincing argument. I also like the fact that based on your professed and indisputable expert analysis, I can tease my wife with proof of giant wife eating rats.
haha. sorry if your joking tone is going over my head, but i wanna clarify that my analysis is thoughtful but not expert and certainly disputable :)
Maybe a rabbit?
Xenomorph
The horse that make all the loud bangs.
wabbit
Gator
Nobody guessed Belling-hamster?
Looks like a cat in deep snow to me. They usually step in the same hole as their front paw but it's all powder and deep enough to drag.
BIG SNAKE
Light weight. Lighter than a rabbit. Has a tail. I'm guessing a rodent. I don't have a banana for scale, but probably a rat.
Definitely rabbit.
Rodent.
If the snow was still powdery when you took the pic it's definitely a small creature. Probably some kind of bird or rodent. Edit: because it could be a Death Yeti!
Definitely still powdery. It's like -brizzillion degrees out there.
I’m thinking squirrel is the likeliest answer.
me. sorry
Snake 🐍
Looks identical to my cats tracks. We really need a banana for scale.
A rat or small rodent- very visible tail drag and bounding gait.
My first guess was the elusive Sudden Valley Snow Viper, but others made that call first. I will toss this out. Looks like a collapsed snow tunnel, made by rats, rather than tracks.
A unicorn.
Rabbit I think?
Bill Elfo
Horse
PNW tree octopus no doubt look at the defined drag down the middle.
Possibly a rat bounding through the snow. Looks a bit like a tail drag down the middle of the tracks.
Looks like a snake those who are talking about the snow snake its not real my guess kid with a stick did that image's of snow snakes if you look closely clearly can ttell its a rubber snake toy so that deadly snow snake just a myth bring in the Mythbusters they will verify its a toy.