bigtim6656

Ok wasent sure where to put these but here goes.
Our house is kind of in a rural area on a mountain outside granby Colorado
The houses are space apart anywhere from alittle to alot but its pretty much a wooded area. Weve had alot of deer in our front and back yard.
Our down stairs has an exit under a big deck which is where i normally take my dogs out. Well with the snow iv seen alot of deer tracks right out the dog maybe five to 10 feet. Well tonight when i took my dog out he was acting weird sniffen around alot and lookin around. Norm he goes out does hes thing comes in as he dont care for the cold temps but didnt think much of it
Well i looked across our yard and noticed new deer tracks then i noticed a big track and i mean i wear a size 16 4e shoe it was as wide and maybe half as long as my shoe. My first thought was bear which is worrying me. I tried to snap a pic but it was to dark and no flash. It had the pad in back much like a bear in the front it had 4 claws but i did not see any nail marks but the snows been melting and refroze so its pretty hard. When i looked at bear tracks i saw five claws when i looked at lion tracks the had four. But they seem pretty big for a mountain lion


Any ideas this really concerns me cause of my animals. Ill try to get a big in the morning during day light to help.

flags

If the snow has been melting and re-freezing, the track will appear bigger than it actually is. As to the toes, melting and re-freezing can obliterate details like that. I've done a lot of elk hunting and fishing around Granby, specifically in the Indian Peaks Wilderness behind Monarch Lake. There has always been quite a few bear in that area. For my money, without seeing the track I'd say it is probably a bear foraging for some last minute food before it dens up.

It could also be a cougar, especially of you have a lot of deer. Neither of them should cause any problems though. If you're really concerned, there is a DOW office in Hot Sulphur Springs just down the road. Give them a call and have then send a warden out. But be advised, it is hunting season and they are pretty busy right now.

Valentine

right near where you keep your garbage cans and containers.

bigtim6656

No we keep our trash cans and trash in the garage

bigtim6656

Here are a couple pics. Sorry their dark took at noon. My phone sucks

Wilcam47

looks like a bear to me...or sasquatch prob a bear though

flags

Black bear. You don't have to worry. It will be denned up really soon if it isn't already.

buffybr

Like flags said, black bear.

The pic on the left looks like a left front foot track. The pic on the right looks like a right hind foot track.

bigtim6656

Thanks for lettin me know guys i saw some comin down the hill size across the street from the house. It looks like its comin down cuttin down the side of our house around the back prob trackin the deer or headin to the pond st the bottom of the hill were on
I been being careful i do out check things out before takin the dogs out figure i got a better chance of hittin the door then the dogs. I ant fightin a bear weapon less im runnin for the door

Muley Hunter

A sow with her cubs can be a bit of danger, but normally a bear will take off long before you see them. They're just hungry, and not looking for trouble.