When you have wild tracks in the same area where domestic dogs are walking, I think it's cool to compare the meandering and playful gaits of domestic dogs vs the sharper direct register gaits of wild animals. Here are a couple more fox tracks (I think) from this snowy time in Maine.

They often display “direct register,” meaning they place their back paw exactly where they stepped with their front paw. Other animals do this too, like coyotes, bobcats, and domestic cats. This is a tight, efficient gait.

The other day, I had an encounter with a fox in a field. I want to share something I find special about foxes: their tracks.