What track is this?

[PropThePolecat]

Allright guys, youve shown yourself to be pretty good when it comes to ID'ing tracks.

So tell me what animal left these. I know what it is, but ill let you guys prove how good you are yet again

Youll get one clue, this animal occurs all across the world except for Antarctica, Australia, and neighbouring islands. So nothing exotic here.

 

[ivan51]

Weasel ?

 

[RescueRiley]

looks like a skunk....track seem shaped like a weasels but it is not a bounder like most weasels

 

[smersh]

I vote skunk. Looks a little like raccoon, too, but very small.

 

[PropThePolecat]

Im leaving it open for a little while more, to let others have a chance at guessing.

 

[Matthew Lomas]

Raccoon or Badger family (Skunk etc.) My track fu is weak lol.

 

[Dnalsi]

Marmot?

 

[DPKnives]

From what I can tell it looks like either weasel or mink, I am leaning towards mink.Weasles and mink leave distinctive sets of paired prints. Doug

 

[MikeH]

Squirrel

 

[cmdionne]

I was also thinking squirrel, the little extra bumps on one set of paws is what gave me the idea as well as the size.

 

[mymindisamob]

I'd have to go with squirrel as well.

 

[Rick Marchand]

I don't have alot of experience with these guys. My first instict was mink at a slow run because the tracks aren't segregated as much and closer to the typical direct register of a walk... I almost thought Ferret... but I'll stick with my first choice.

 

[Guyon]

My first thought was mink because of the sort-of S-shaped pattern. I watched two of them from a tree stand once.

IIRC, they do have a strange sort of gait.

 

[fugawee]

As a city boy,I guess
raccoon tracks.

 

[cmdionne]

After watching a squirrel run around my yard, I realized they don't move that way.

Also there were no tail drag marks in the snow.

I'm switching my answer to a skunk.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Either Mustela nivalis or Mustela lutreola :thumbup:

 

[PropThePolecat]

You proved me right yet again!! You guys are good. The tracks pictured were left by a polecat/domesticated ferret.

All you that answered weasel/mink/ferret were correct! The whole weasel genus covers 16 species, and they all have almost identical tracks, varying only in size. Ive seen loads of mink-tracks and theyre practically (to my eye) indistinguishable from those of polecat.

One of you posted that weasels are bounders, and you're entirely correct. We've got 2 ferrets and one is a typical weasel bounder while the one pictured just happens to always trot along.

Heres the culprit who left the tracks:

 

[abo4ster]

looks like 5 toes front and back, so I have to say weasel.

EDIT: Ok, I got it right, but I was slow to reply. Here is a cheat sheet for your future use...

Toes Front Toes Rear Claws Family
2 2 No Deer
4 5 Yes Rodent
4 4 No Cat
4 4 Yes Canine
4 4 Yes Rabbit/hare
5 5 Yes Weasel (Skunk, Otter, Badger)
5 5 Yes Plantigrades (Bear, Raccoon, Oppossum ~ rear 'thumb')