What Do Moose Tracks Look Like? (Table and Comparison)

Identifying a moose track may be tricky, as most deer and elks have almost the same foot impression, and it becomes pretty hard to distinguish between them.

What do moose tracks look like? A typical moose track is almost 6 inches long, heart-shaped, and a bit deep to the ground than other deer family members. The older moose tracks shape varies with age, but you can see that a moose stride is typically 30 to 40 inches in length.

In this blog post, we will discuss the moose tracks and differentiate them from other deer family foot impressions.

Let’s start the article now.

What do Moose Footprints Look Like?

As you know, the Moose is the largest animal of the deer family, so their foot size and eventually the footprints would be larger than others.

What Do Moose Tracks Look Like

Moose footprints are differentiated from other animals. They have a certain shape and size that other animals and even other deer family members wouldn’t have.

A moose footprint has the following characteristics:

  • Shaped like a heart has an average length of 6 Inches
  • Deep Footed In the Ground
  • Have Strides of up to 30 inches

There are two hooves in the impression of a moose footprint, and behind is the toe that’s relatively smaller than a deer.

How Can You Tell A Moose Track?

With great size, the moose track is not hard to identify. There are a lot of factors that affect the way a moose track looks like.

SizeEach moose footprint is almost six to seven inches at length. Moose footprints look like some holes that have been dug on the ground
ShapeThe moose track is like a heart shape.  
AgeYounger and energetic animals have a sharp and precise walk Aged bull, Moose, horse, or any hoofed animal has wider footprints and will make a bigger heart-shaped track  
StrideA moose stride is 30 to 35 inches
FootprintThere are two hooves like two-piece pieces of a heart and two toes behind the heart-shaped hooves.

Factors that Contribute to Identify Moose Track

The factors that will contribute to easily identifying the moose tracks are as follows:

  • Size
  • Shape
  • Age
  • Stride
  • Footprint

Size

Talking about the size of a moose track, you’ll notice that Moose being the largest animal in the deer group, will have the largest foot among other deer and elks.

When we saw a live footprint of a moose, it looked like a heart shape that was heavily submerged into the ground. Each moose footprint is almost six to seven inches at length.

A clear picture of moose footprint can be associated with heavyweight and large size; the moose footprints look like holes dug on the ground.

But, taking the key points, you can say that a moose footprint is larger than a deer, and if it’s not like a heart shape or 6 inches, it could be of some other animal.

Shape

Like you, we’ve talked about the size; the moose track is like a heart shape.

Now, these heart-shaped moose footprints would give out a lot of information about the moose living or traveling from one place to another.

For example, locals use the corner of heart-shaped moose tracks to determine where the Moose is going.

Here’s how they find the direction of a moose:

  • Take a look at the moose footprints, and see the corner of the heart.
  • The direction where the heart corner will bend tells us about Moose’s next direction.

Also, there’s another thing moose tracks tell us about. If there are crisscrossing patterns, a moose loves that place, and it may be a sign that food is present there, and life’s easily possible.

So, if you’re ever stuck in the woods, you will get to know that moose footprints are a sign of life.

Age

If you’re looking to see what’s an age of the Moose whose footprints you have seen, then here’s an exciting way to notice that.

As you know that younger and energetic animals have a short and precise walk, and they would not stagger anyhow. So, the clear footprints with sharp edges will certainly make you ponder quickly that it was a younger moose!

But, as the animals age, their footprints and hooves widen, and thus, you can see that an old bull, Moose, horse, or any hoofed animal has wider footprints and will make a bigger heart-shaped track.

Stride

If you’re not still cleared by the moose tracks detail and want to explore more, we guess you take a look at the stride of the footprints.

What’s a moose stride? It’s the total distance between every step of a moose, and it’s one of the most accurate measures of judging a moose track.

Usually, we see that a moose stride is 30 to 35 inches. If you see that the stride is smaller than 30 inches, it will not belong to a moose. Instead, it will behave like someone else’s animal.

Footprint

The footprints might not be an accurate sign to judge the moose track but somehow depict the footprint size.

Typically, we see two hooves like two-piece of a heart, and there are two toes behind the heart-shaped hooves.

Thus, you can easily use all of these factors to confirm a moose track when you’re in a forest.

What Do Moose Tracks Look Like?

Moose tracks look like heart-shaped footprints, like two broken heart pieces with two toes below these hooves.

To easily identify a moose track, you need to find a heart-shaped footprint 6 inches long with each step distance of about 30-40 inches.

what do moose tracks look like in snow?

If you’re lucky enough to see moose tracks in the snow, you’ll immediately be able to tell that they are from a moose. Moose tracks are easily recognizable because of their large size – each print is about 5-6 inches wide. In deep snow, the tracks can often be seen from a distance as the animal walks through the snow.

If you’re in an area where moose are known to live, it’s a good idea to learn what moose tracks look like. This will help you identify if there are any around and also help you track the animal if you happen to see one.

Why Do They Call It Moose Tracks?

The Moose Tracks®’ name pays homage to a miniature golf course in the upper peninsula of Michigan called “Moose Tracks.” The golf course is near the first dairy to sell the Moose Tracks® ice cream flavor.

Difference between a Deer and a Moose Track?

A deer and a moose track might get mixed for the people who are not well aware of the basic difference between their hooves shapes. 

So, we’ve got a clear distinction to let you know that by:

DeerMoose
Foot SizeA deer has 1 14″ to 4″The footprint is up to 7’’  
ShapeHeart ShapeHeart Shaped Foot
CrisscrossCrisscross their feet where they liveCrisscrossing shows the life signs and food
Wider FootstepsLess Wide than a MooseWider than all deer family Members
Stride15 to 20 Inches30 to 40 Inches at most

Difference between a Moose and Elk Track?

With sharply pointed toes, moose tracks resemble elongated heart shapes due to their inward-pointing tips. 

In addition to their round toes, hoof segments are parallel, giving the tracks the shape of teeth, much like a molar’s silhouette.

Elk Moose
Foot SizeUp to 5 InchesThe footprint is up to 7’’  
ShapeHeart ShapeHeart shaped Foot
CrisscrossCrisscross their feet where they liveCrisscrossing shows the life signs and food
Wider FootstepsLessWide
Stride25 Inches30 to 40 Inches at most

Difference between Cow and Bull Moose Tracks?

The basic difference between a cow and moose track is as follows:

Cow Bull Moose
Foot SizeThe Moose is approximately 4 14″ to 7″ long,The footprint of a cow is 1 14″ to 4″.  
ShapeHeart ShapeCloven Foot
CrisscrossCrisscross their feet where they liveDon’t do this
Wider FootstepsWider FootLess Wide
Stride30 to 40 Inches30 Inches at most

5 Interesting Facts about Moose Tracks You Didn’t Know Before !!

  1. Moose Footprint is heart-shaped.
  2. They crisscross their feet where they habituate
  3. Moose Tracks indicate life and food.
  4. Their tracks have the longest jumping/running strides
  5. Moose Tracks are the biggest in their Deer Family

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion: What Do Moose Tracks Look Like?

That was all about what do moose tracks look like. Now, you have a great idea of what a moose track looks like, and always keep in mind to identify them by a heart-shaped, 6-7 inches long, and 30 to 40 inches wide strides.

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