How to Find Timber Wolf Tracks

The timber wolf is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf native to North America. Known for its beauty and power, the wolf is a skilled hunter, adept at staying out of sight. Finding timber wolf tracks is an exciting and challenging exercise in tracking and observation. Taking a few steps will help improve your chances of success.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Learn about the timber wolf. It's extremely important that you understand the animal's behavior, biology and signs before setting out for the forest. The timber wolf is a wild animal so you need to know how to interact with it to avoid endangering either yourself or the wolf.
2. Travel to a native environment of the wolf. While various species and subspecies of wolf exist in different parts of the US, the timber wolf is mostly found in and around the forests of Minnesota and western Canada. Check with local information resources such as park rangers and administrators to see if timber wolves live in a given environment.
3. Familiarize yourself with timber wolf signs. As with tracking any other animal, footprints and droppings are two of the most important signs to know. The timber wolf's track pattern is similar to a dog's, with a 24-inch span between its front and hind paws. Droppings look like coyote droppings, but are usually larger.
4. Give yourself time and space. Timber wolves hunt areas of up to 120 square miles, so be patient and prepared to walk around before coming across tracks. If you are really set on finding the tracks, you probably will.
5. Look for signs of multiple tracks and droppings. The timber wolf hunts in packs, so keep your eyes open for evidence of multiple animals in order to find timber wolf tracks.