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Village Emergency Notification

Posted January, 2006

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Nature's Edge - Animal Tracks - January 2006

At the Village Hall, we often get calls from residents wanting to know the type of animals making tracks around their home. These tracks become more pronounced when the snow arrives. Sometimes these tracks terminate at an opening in your home. This could be a cause for concern if you do not want this animal living in your home with you. Once identified (and the animal removed), the opening should be sealed to prevent future and more significant problems.

So what critters are scurrying about? Following is a list of common animals in our area and what their "tracks" or foot prints look like:

Fox	A fox paw print has four toes with claws. These prints will appear with a foot pad and four distinct toe prints with four dots above the toe prints. The hind feet step in the same track as the front print so they form a tidy straight line.
Coyote	A coyote print is similar to a fox print. It has the foot pad, four toe prints, but only two claw prints. The coyote, like the fox, makes prints in a straight line.
Raccoon	Raccoon tracks look like little hands and are larger than a squirrel print. You will usually see a foot pad with five toe prints and five dots above each toe print where the claws have cut into the snow or soil.
Squirrel	Squirrel prints look like tiny hands. Squirrels often hop from place to place so you may only find two prints with each hop – depending upon how the squirrel lands. The squirrel tracks are also spread out so there will be a gap between two or four prints.
Rabbit	Rabbit prints are shaped in a “V”. The hind paw prints are larger than the front paw prints and each form an elongated oval. Rabbits hop so the prints will be spread out. You will see four paw prints with each landing.
Deer	A deer hoof has two toes that are spread apart in front and two small toes behind. Sometimes you are only able to see the two large toes. The hoof prints will occur in a staggered line. When the toe prints are together, they often look like an upside down heart.
Mouse	A mouse has a distinct track. The front prints have a foot pad with five toe prints. The rear prints are smaller with a foot pad and only four toe prints.
Shrew	Shrew prints are very similar to mouse prints with one major difference. The rear foot print has five toe prints.

Hey! How about taking your new found "tracking" skills to the woodland. As a reminder – cross country skiing is allowed at North and Florsheim Parks. So instead of sitting inside in a nice warm chair – step outside into the crisp winter air, strap on your cross country skis and hit the trails.