Footprints In My Yard

Who or what did this? I came home one day to find these marks in my front yard. So I took pictures with my cellphone. They're not the best but they're all I have. I took them in color and then later made black and white versions for contrast.

Any idea how they were done? I've asked people in person and no one knows how they were made. I even asked people who were raised in Minnesota and the ones that I spoke with had never seen any prints like these. One friend said that they're rabbit prints. Oh really. Hmm.

I appreciate your feedback. Thank you! (I'm not sure this is where I should post these photos on ATS. I have never posted them anywhere else).

























[edit on 14-11-2009 by Antoniastar]

Single file, with two holes for two feet? and looks like a bum imprint behind.
Im not very good with snow, I live in OZ

They are either rabbit or squirrel. I could tell if I was there..it's all about the size.
Actually look more like squirrel.
And I have snow 6 months of the year.

I'd go with a rabbit, maybe, I'm not a footprinter.

But I know some will see the two 'sharp' marks, and think demonic things.

Just like Ramachandran did with the martian language

When the animal jumped, it's very easy it could of left two 'sharp' marks in the snow, it's not a very solid ground, so it'd be easy.

I'd chalk it up to a rabbit.

Maybe Peter?

I did some googling. Here's your rabbit tracks.

farm1.static.flickr.com...

Looks very much like squirrel tracks. Squirrels in snow will have track groups anywhere from about 1 to 2 feet apart. they usually try to stay warm in their nests in bad weather but they still have to come out and feed every couple days. rabbit tracks look slightly asymmetrical with their front feet registering ahead of the rear in an angled pair. These tracks look like front and rear were both paired. Where it looks like there are only a single set of tracks was were the animal bounded and the hind feet landed where the front feet were. I've studied animal tracking for 20 years so I have a pretty good idea of what Im looking at. Try measuring the track groups, the squares are about 4 - 5". Also follow the tracks, if squirrel they will inevitably end up at a tree. Happy tracking!

reply to post by zazzafrazz


Yes I understand where you're coming from because I thought exactly the same thing when I first saw the prints. With the exception of one tiny yet intriguing tell-tell detail...

The "bum imprint"... good one!.

I wasn't raised with snow myself, being born in Southern California and living coastal for a long while so I guess I don't take snow for granted (not saying that you do).

One thing I about this incident I find fascinating is that I would not be posting this thread if it weren't for the depth of snow in my yard. And I sure wouldn't be posting these photos if I thought that a rabbit or a squirrel made the prints. I'm not that daft. hahah

The "bum" print is the key.


[edit on 16-11-2009 by Antoniastar]

reply to post by AccessDenied


Thank you very much for your thoughts. Aww but what if the prints where intentioonally made to look like rabbit or squirrel prints as a playful prank?

The story is about to get scary.

reply to post by Republican08


Well that would be some BIG rabbit. I'm not a footprinter either but I have seen tons of prints while living in Washington and Minnesota for years. I have never seen any prints quite like these.

haha I know huh? Oooooooooooooooo there's evil lurking and it's got claws!! Drama, gotta luv it. What would life be without some drama? Actually I think the "sharp marks" are talon marks. Try that one on for size.

Peter rabbit? Nope, good one though! haha How about a one legged raptor? What I mean is an intelligent raptor that purposely glided over my yard with one foot tucked up under its belly?

Enter conspiracy: A cover-up. What if such a creature existed and a certain group of people didn't want disclosure?

I will explain why I think the footprints were made by a bionic raptor (bird not plane) that was trying to be funny (and succeeded in my assessment).



[edit on 16-11-2009 by Antoniastar]

[edit on 16-11-2009 by Antoniastar]

[edit on 16-11-2009 by Antoniastar]

Originally posted by Antoniastar


Well that would be some BIG rabbit.

Not necessarily. If you have ever watched a foot print in the snow, you know that as it begins to melt the foot print appears to get bigger. really what is happening is the snow is melting away making the size of the print expand.

Now keep in mind I am born in raised in Texas so I don't have to much experience with snow, but I have seen my fair share of animal prints. What we have here is just a small animal such as a rabbit or a squirrel...

Too bad the prints are in snow... That makes the prints subject to change, as I pointed out because the snow melts or what have you and the original shape of the print can be altered.

Anyway, it is my humble opinion that these are the tracks of a small animal such as a rabbit, squirrel or what have you.

reply to post by Antoniastar


Please forgive me if this has already been asked and I missed it, but about how deep was the snow?

That's a rabbit. I've seen them make those tracks. See the four indents? That's where the rabbit pulling his feet together once he lands.

being an avid rabbit hunter i can honestly say those are rabbit tracks, throw out some lettuce in a clear spot in the snow and see if you dont get some more of the same tracks.

How about another vote for a RABBIT! No offense, but I really think that the OP really needs to get out of the house a little more and observe nature. Squirrels can make similar tracks as they hop through the deep snow.

Now if these tracks were cloven and 12 inches in diameter we might have something to talk about

THen again we could be dealing with this...

I have to agree with the rabbit prints. We have snow a few months out of the year around hear and the rabbits can get to the size of cats or small dogs.

He was just hopping down the bunny trail

Its a snow frog of doom.

I dunno but i see a frog in those pics or more of a toad given the size.

Originally posted by AccessDenied
They are either rabbit or squirrel. I could tell if I was there..it's all about the size.
Actually look more like squirrel.
And I have snow 6 months of the year.

That must be one HEAVY rappit.
Look how deep the tracks are!

THOSE ARE WHITETAIL DEER FOOTPRINTS.

Originally posted by pazcat
Its a snow frog of doom.

I dunno but i see a frog in those pics or more of a toad given the size.

EXACTLY! its a frog, dude. they jump straight as hell when they need to..case solved.

reply to post by Scarcer


Soon after I took the photos, one of the first things that I did was Google rabbit pics. The prints don't look anything like rabbit prints, IMO. The rabbit prints that I've seen are not uniformly spaced (they're narrow on one end and wide on the other) like the ones in the photos above.



[edit on 22-11-2009 by Antoniastar]