Bull moose vs. Cow moose tracks???

[Jamie Pike]

Guys,

 

I got into a discussion with a friend of mine the other day while moose hunting near Peak Pond about bull moose and cow moose tracks.  I for one have heard many times, that if the tracks had the 2 "starts" or depressions showing, it was a bull moose.  However...I cam upon a cow moose paunch, and i know it was a cow because the head was there, as were the hocks...and those same 2 "starts" were prevalent on the lower part of the moose leg. 

 

The feet also looked quite the same.  For all the more expierenced hunters than I out there...do bull moose and cow moose tracks differ???

[randy jarvis]

I know  a guide who's been guiding for 25yrs he said if you never saw the animal you will not know what it is by its tracks

[Fred Woodman]

I dont think anyone can tell the difference either.

[mac]

Moose tracks:The way I tell if you're following a bull or cow is a bull usually drags his feet more that a cow from one step to another; during the rut I guess they're tired chasing  all  those cows looking good and the young bulls trying to get in at them! Another way is cows urinate and runs down their legs  and if snow you will see little drops of greenish yellow formations in their tracks. Bulls leave just a hole in the snow between the front and rear legs. I have on several different occasions over the years looked at both cow and bull hoofs and saw no difference!  If no snow ask someone who saw it ahhahh.!

[Pierce Rumbolt]

My son & I were discussing the same thing a few weeks ago. Both have "dew claws", so thats ruled out.  According to an online search, Bull tracks are more pointy & toes are spread more.  Not sure if there is any truth to this but thats what I got from my online search.

 Interesting to hear what others have to say about this interesting subject,  Pierce.

[Chris]

Hello Guys,

I am fairly new to moose hunting. Lots of useful info here. I sometimes have trouble trying to determine which way the animal was traveling especially if the tracks are in a light dusting of powdery snow where the prints aren't as clear as they would be in mud. Of course if the prints from the dew claws are there its more obvious. Any tips or hints on figuring this out?

[Jamie Pike]

So it seems that the general consensus is that there is no sure fire way to determine the sex of an animal by the track thats left.  Size won't work because a large cow could make the track appear the same as that of a bull, and the urine thought seems the most plausable. 

 

As for the direction of a track...the pointed tip goes in the direction of travel.

[Nicholas Easton]

Easy to tell if you are tracking a bull or a cow if you can find where it pees. Bull will pee in the snow just like a man, straight lines melted in the snow. Where as a cow will spray it around a little, not as cleen looking. When tracking in deep fluffy snow the moose will put his hoof straight down in the snow on a slight angle and drag it out leaving a round skuff at the front as it drages its leg out. This points towards the animal. Hope this helps.