The size of track left behind by the animal will is affected by the hardness of the substrate of the track. At the extreme end of the scale towards softness is snow - tracks left in snow can be quite a bit larger than those made on regular soil.

Soil Hardness

Each type of animal leaves behind its own distinct "compression shape" on the ground or debris. This may be enough to identify what type of animal it is that's making the tracks.

Here is an overview of the more common compression shapes.

Common Compression Shapes

See Also: Tracking Box, Techniques

Compressions Techniques Measurements Gaits Limb & Eye Dominance