Need help determining tracks I found in my yard this morning

Y'all are probably going to figure this out as soon as you see it, but I'm having issues.

Location: NW Louisiana on the outskirts of a small town with little population

My wife saw 5 deer in the back yard the other night when she pulled into the driveway but these aren't deer tracks, and if they are, they're the weirdest ones I've ever seen. I'm posting this in Cryptozoology but I'm not saying this is anything more than a normal animal. I just can't figure out what it is.

Anyways, this morning as my wife and I were walking to the carport to get ready to leave, she noticed these and asked me what they were. I wasn't sure so I took pictures so I could post them on here and see what everyone thinks. Looking closely at the first picture, you'll notice what looks like the start of a claw digging in before the track gets deep. I'd guesstimate that the biggest track was roughly 2 inches.

Thoughts?

A gator? I have no idea.

a reply to: LSU2018
Bird talon might make that track. Hawk, eagle.

a reply to: Tarzan the apeman.

First thing I thought.

I think it's a bird, but a hawk or eagle would likely show the fourth toe in the back.

I think it's a bird, possibly a turkey.

I've seen that before and I'm pretty sure it's a chupacabra.

Raptor, or bird of prey.

Talon marks with heel area seen in last picture.

My guess would be osprey or eagle.

It's cold up here in Wisconsin, most of the eagles are headed down the Mississippi river to warmer and easier hunting.

Gator would have left slide marks or tail marks somewhere. They can walk without their bellies/tail touching, but usually you'll find a slide somewhere in the area.

Looks like eagle to me though.
Who probably grabbed a snake.

Big Bird

originally posted by: LSU2018
Y'all are probably going to figure this out as soon as you see it, but I'm having issues.

Location: NW Louisiana on the outskirts of a small town with little population

My wife saw 5 deer in the back yard the other night when she pulled into the driveway but these aren't deer tracks, and if they are, they're the weirdest ones I've ever seen. I'm posting this in Cryptozoology but I'm not saying this is anything more than a normal animal. I just can't figure out what it is.

Anyways, this morning as my wife and I were walking to the carport to get ready to leave, she noticed these and asked me what they were. I wasn't sure so I took pictures so I could post them on here and see what everyone thinks. Looking closely at the first picture, you'll notice what looks like the start of a claw digging in before the track gets deep. I'd guesstimate that the biggest track was roughly 2 inches.

Thoughts?

I'm gonna go with bird.

Some are saying eagle, hawk, etc... but based on the size of other items in the photos, it could be a raven/crow.

The sharp outlines of some of the marks clearly indicates talons and the lack of any prints up to or beyond the ones posted would tend to indicate a bird coming in, grabbing something and flying away.

Set up a game cam (or any wifi cam and I'm sure you'll catch it within a day or two.

originally posted by: 35Foxtrot

originally posted by: LSU2018
Y'all are probably going to figure this out as soon as you see it, but I'm having issues.

Location: NW Louisiana on the outskirts of a small town with little population

My wife saw 5 deer in the back yard the other night when she pulled into the driveway but these aren't deer tracks, and if they are, they're the weirdest ones I've ever seen. I'm posting this in Cryptozoology but I'm not saying this is anything more than a normal animal. I just can't figure out what it is.

Anyways, this morning as my wife and I were walking to the carport to get ready to leave, she noticed these and asked me what they were. I wasn't sure so I took pictures so I could post them on here and see what everyone thinks. Looking closely at the first picture, you'll notice what looks like the start of a claw digging in before the track gets deep. I'd guesstimate that the biggest track was roughly 2 inches.

Thoughts?

I'm gonna go with bird.

Some are saying eagle, hawk, etc... but based on the size of other items in the photos, it could be a raven/crow.

The sharp outlines of some of the marks clearly indicates talons and the lack of any prints up to or beyond the ones posted would tend to indicate a bird coming in, grabbing something and flying away.

Set up a game cam (or any wifi cam and I'm sure you'll catch it within a day or two.

There were several more tracks, I just didn't grab a photo of them all because they were the same size. My driveway is rock until that point, then it's hard dirt because of the covered parking, then that turns into grass and goes a few acres back. I was thinking bird, too, but wouldn't we see a third mark behind? Grabbing a snake would make sense, I saw one on my sidewalk the other morning (about ten feet away from where these tracks are) and happened to be carrying my 3 year old because it was dark. The black snake was right in front of me when the motion light came so my only instinct was to stomp it with the heel of my boot until the head was mush.

a reply to: LSU2018

originally posted by: Mandroid7
Big Bird

I think that the OP does live on sesame street.

a reply to: LSU2018

be nice to black snakes, they are the good ones.

My first thought was that it looked like feral hog tracks--two deep indentations close together:

4leggers.com...

a reply to: LSU2018

Are you near water? I am going with osprey. I live on the chesapeake bay and see their tracks on the beach all the time.
They are here year round. They live near the ocean or near fresh water lakes or rivers where they can get good sized fish.

www.deerdance.org...

a reply to: network dude

He was studying to be an astronaut. That ARE a problem around there though. I used to have several cats that would, believe it or not, keep them away but I'm down to just one. Only reason I have him still is because when he was a kitten, I opened my back door and when I slammed it shut, the kitten was running through. Showed no signs of hurting or anything - though I know it hit him hard - but I think I might have ruined his reproduction organ. (Don't try it at home) Now I always catch him laying around in the back yard with my Australian Shepherd, especially when she's in heat. I don't wanna talk about it.

originally posted by: elkabong57
My first thought was that it looked like feral hog tracks--two deep indentations close together:

4leggers.com...

I've dealt with hogs before, these aren't nearly deep enough to be hog tracks unless it was a piglet. I'll get some better pictures today when I get home and put a quarter or something next to the track to provide a better idea.

originally posted by: Sillyolme
a reply to: LSU2018

Are you near water? I am going with osprey. I live on the chesapeake bay and see their tracks on the beach all the time.
They are here year round. They live near the ocean or near fresh water lakes or rivers where they can get good sized fish.

www.deerdance.org...

I live about a mile from Lake Bistineau and have 3 ponds behind my house - one is stocked with fish. But these tracks are 2 inches max. It looks like a small hoof, but then it looks like claws are going into the dirt. That's what has me so confused.

a reply to: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Steveogold
a reply to: JAGStorm

Sorry, I lived in Florida too long. The people were more scary than the animals!

a reply to: LSU2018

Boot and hand print.

Hand print would put them in a squatting position.

Someone could be staking you out.

Were you short with anyone recently? Motive.

Have you received phone calls only to have them hang up? Sound Location and electronically ID'd.

Or it could be a bird as the feather suggests.