Bear tracks are highly identifiable, yet they are frequently mistaken for the prints of large dogs or human feet. Accurately identifying a bear track is a valuable skill for anyone venturing into bear country, as it provides specific information about the animal’s presence and size. The distinct anatomical markers of a bear’s paw print set it apart from other mammals, helping to distinguish the track and understand local wildlife activity.
The Basic Anatomy of a Bear Paw Print
All bears possess five toes on each foot, visible in a slight arc across the front of a clear track. Unlike the straight-line arrangement seen in canine prints, a bear’s toes are positioned above a single, large sole pad. This crescent-shaped arrangement of toes and the prominent sole pad form the signature impression left by a bear.
Bear claws are non-retractable, meaning they are almost always visible in the track, positioned as distinct marks well ahead of the toe pads. This visible claw placement sets the bear print apart from the tracks of all wild cats. The substantial size of the central sole pad reflects the bear’s heavy, flat-footed walking style, known as plantigrade locomotion.
Key Distinction: Front Paw Versus Hind Paw
The significant difference between the front and hind paw prints is often confusing for identification. The front track is shorter and wider, resembling a blocky, rounded impression with a large, crescent-shaped pad. The small carpal pad on the front foot often does not register in the print, especially on harder ground.
The hind paw print is notably longer and narrower, frequently leading to misidentification as a human footprint. Bears are semi-plantigrade, meaning their entire hind sole contacts the ground, creating an impression that includes a long heel and arch area. An adult black bear’s hind print can measure between six and eight inches long.
The bear’s gait often involves an “overstep walk,” where the hind foot steps directly into or slightly ahead of the front foot’s print. This can create a confusing pattern or a seemingly oversized, single print if the two impressions overlap. Recognizing this front-to-back difference is crucial, as the human-like hind track is the primary source of misidentification.
Species Identification by Track Dimensions
Track dimensions and claw characteristics provide the most reliable way to differentiate between the Black Bear and the Grizzly or Brown Bear.
Black Bear Tracks
Black Bear front tracks are typically smaller and more oval-shaped, generally measuring between four and five inches wide for an adult. Their toes are often more distinctly arched. Their claws are shorter and more sharply curved, sometimes not registering far from the toe pads, as they are better suited for climbing.
Grizzly Bear Tracks
Grizzly Bear tracks are significantly larger and wider, with the front print often being broader than it is long, giving it a squarer appearance. Adult Grizzly front prints can span five to nine inches in width. The toes on a Grizzly track tend to be less arched and straighter across the front.
The most telling feature is the claw impression: a Grizzly’s claws are long and relatively straight, designed for digging, and often register an impression three to four inches ahead of the toe pads.
Field Test Distinction
A reliable field test involves drawing a straight line across the top of the five toe pads on a front track. In a Black Bear track, the outermost toe typically falls entirely or mostly below this line, while in a Grizzly track, all five toes often remain above it.
How Bear Tracks Differ from Other Wildlife
Bear prints are distinct from those left by common canines, such as dogs or coyotes, primarily because canines only have four toes that register in their prints. Canine tracks are more symmetrical and elongated, often allowing an “X” to be drawn through the center of the track. Canine claw marks are usually visible but are positioned much closer to the toe pads than the widely-separated claws seen in bear prints.
Feline tracks, such as those from mountain lions, also show only four toe pads in a rounded, symmetrical pattern. The most definitive difference is the absence of claw marks in a typical feline track, as cats possess retractable claws that are sheathed when walking. While the bear’s hind print can look like a barefoot human print, it lacks the distinct arch and specific toe separation found in human tracks.