Sika Deer hoof prints

[kiwi]

Hi guys

About a week ago i was wandering in the woods at the bottom of lightmoor near the road that separates us from coalbrookdale and iron bridge ( Ill put in name of road when i find out) and in some thick wet mud i saw what looked like the track of a hoofed animal it was roughly about the size of a human hand and was slightly curved at one end and then it separated into two chunky prongs (if i can call the that) and in other words it was very much simnilar to a deer hoofprint and i think its from a sika deer as apparently there is some in the woods of coalbrook dale. But do any of you know how they could of got across the road or if they've ever been reported in light moor. I find this a very unusual.

Thanks
Jordan

[Deer Stalker]

Hi Jordan.

A hoof the size of a human hand is pretty big. Sika deer have tracks of about 5-6cm by 4cm.

There are some pics of slots I took for the Sika deer page in the reference section of WAB.

Sika Deer | Wild About Britain

[kiwi]

sorry i mean the palm of my hand

[kiwi]

the claws didn't taper inwards like they were going to meet they sad outwards.

[Badger Watching Man]

Interesting. Deer tracks will splay in soft mud as the foot spreads out, so each cleave (hoof) will point outwards, but each cleave should still curve in towards the middle.

If you're looking for an excuse to go back there for a walk, then a picture would be great, ideally with something next to the track for scale.

[kiwi]

Sorry guys i went back there and no evidence of deer whatsoever i couldn't find the tracks or any ripped bark of the trees or any deer droppings the woods aren't very big anyway and they are broken up in the middle by houses. I did however find what looks like tracks through the woods and its like somethings kicked the leafs out the way ill post some images in a second.

[paulthomas]

Red Deer is another possibility but you'd need to actually measure a print to get a better idea.

[leifus]

i used to be able t do this

it would be useful to have a picture if you ever find one again

[kiwi]

if i see another hoof prints i will upload but i appear to be confused on uploading pictures on the forum because i haven't done it in a long time Ive uploaded them but i cant find them.

[kiwi]

Very bad quality they were taken with my phone as my camera seems to eat batteries.






There is hundreds of them and it looks as though something made them while it was walking.

also Ive got a picture of the habitat if this helps theirs quite a bit of it and not many people go there its mainly birch but there is different trees now and then.