How to Identify Raccoon Tracks

You will be able to tell quite easily from the tracks the animal leaves behind, whether or not that animal is a raccoon. They walk in a rather unusual way and because of their walking style, tend to leave two-by-two footprints in mud and other materials.

The average raccoon paw print will be in the region of 5 cm to 8 cm long, and about 4 cm to 8 cm in width. It’ll have five digits or toes on each paw, both front and back, and the back tracks are generally larger than the front ones.

Where will you see raccoon tracks?

If the floor is soft you’ll see raccoon tracks, and that means soft soils and muds are often the best places to start looking. Raccoons love water, and they are often seen “washing" their food before they eat it, and because of this you will find raccoon tracks easier if you head closer to water - lakes, ponds, streams, etc. This is even more so the case if there is a section of heavy foresting or trees nearby. As well as loving water, these raccoons also love trees. They offer safety from predators, a place to bed down for the night, space to hide some food, and even a nursery, usually in the form of tree hollows.

If the paws get dirty, you may see raccoon prints or tracks on other surfaces. For example, fi the raccoon has walked on the dusty garage floor and then walked into your kitchen, you may spot tiny, dusty little paw prints along the floor.

Other signs of raccoons

As well as looking for raccoon tracks, you should also keep your eyes out for feces and urine, which are generally left in latrine style areas. You may also notice stains left behind by the animal’s fur, as it brushes up against various materials and surfaces.