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Black Bear Tracks & Signs

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This is the left front foot of a bear cub that is approximately 15 months old. The shape of the foot tells me that it’s a front foot. Back feet are longer and narrower. The big toe on a bear is on the outside edge of the foot.

This is the left front foot of a cub that is approximately 15 months old. I’ve based the age on cubs being born from mid to late January. The shape of the foot tells me that it’s a front foot. Back feet are longer and narrower than the wider, rounder front foot. The big toe on a bear is on the outside edge of the foot. The cub over wintered with its mother. Her track is below. It’s not as clear as the cub’s track because she didn’t walk through the fresh mud. Bears walk on the soles of their feet, seldom leaving a really good track. By walking on their soles, bears are very quiet when moving through the woods. A 400 pound bear walked into a clearing so silently that I didn’t hear him coming. Imagine weighing 400 pounds and moving silently.

Bears have five toes. The smallest toe, on the inside of the foot, isn’t always visible in tracks. A mature boar’s foot is approximately 6″ wide. A sow’s foot is usually not wider than 4.5″. Bears don’t have retractable claws so look for them in tracks.

This is the right, front foot of an adult sow (female) bear.

Bear Fur

A bear pulled the stump apart in search of grubs and insects.

 

Bear scat

One Response to Black Bear Tracks & Signs

  1. Lisa Bates says:
    September 13, 2012 at 7:14 pm

    great photos!

    Reply

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