Coyote Scat and Tracks: How to Identify Them (Canis latrans)

Coyote sign: scat size, shape and contents, track size, toes and gait, and how to tell it from Domestic Dog, quoted from state wildlife agencies, the National Park Service and the CDC.

Do not handle droppings bare-handed and do not sniff or dry-sweep them; several of the animals here carry parasites or viruses that spread through scat and dust. These pages report what wildlife agencies and the CDC say; they are not medical advice.

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At a glance

Scientific name: Canis latrans
Scat: Shape: Looks much like dog feces · Contents/color: Small bones, hair, or plant debris are often visible · Where: Often left in the middle of trails or at territory boundaries, where they will be seen
Tracks: Front: Front footprint about 2.5 inches long, 4 toes · Hind: Hind footprint about 2.25 inches long, 4 toes · Toes: 4 toes, weight centered on the two middle toes, often angled slightly inward · Claws usually show · Gait: While walking, tracks often fall in a straight line with the animal's own prints overlapping; stride 18-22 inches

Reading Coyote sign: start here

Carnivore scat is tubular, often twisted and tapered at one end, and full of hair, bone fragments, berries or seeds depending on the season. Dog-family tracks show four toes with claw marks and an X drawn between the pads; cat-family tracks show four toes with no claws and a three-lobed heel pad. Many carnivores leave scat on trails, rocks and junctions on purpose, so where it sits is a clue in itself. The measurements below for Coyote are quoted from the wildlife agencies linked at the bottom of the page.

Coyote scat: what it looks like

Shape: Looks much like dog feces
Contents/color: Small bones, hair, or plant debris are often visible
Where: Often left in the middle of trails or at territory boundaries, where they will be seen

Coyote tracks

Front: Front footprint about 2.5 inches long, 4 toes
Hind: Hind footprint about 2.25 inches long, 4 toes
Toes: 4 toes, weight centered on the two middle toes, often angled slightly inward
Claws usually show
Gait: While walking, tracks often fall in a straight line with the animal's own prints overlapping; stride 18-22 inches

Other sign to look for

Burrow/den: Dens are often burrows abandoned by foxes, badgers, or woodchucks, or may be in a hollow tree, log, brush pile, or under an abandoned building
Nighttime howling: Its nighttime screams and howls may be its most easily recognized trait

Coyote vs Domestic Dog

Coyote tracks are more oval-shaped and travel in a straight line with the animal's own prints overlapping (stride 18-22 inches); medium dog tracks do not overlap, are spaced 6-8 inches apart, and often change direction rather than going straight The Domestic Dog page has its own sign list.

How to photograph sign for identification

Put something of known size next to it (a coin, a pen, a boot) and shoot straight down in soft light; low side light brings out the shape of tracks in mud or snow. For scat, photograph the whole deposit and one close-up showing contents. Note where it was: on a log, in the open, on a trail, near water. The app suggests the likely animal; confirm with the size and shape notes above.

FAQ

What does Coyote poop look like?

Shape: Looks much like dog feces. Contents/color: Small bones, hair, or plant debris are often visible. Where: Often left in the middle of trails or at territory boundaries, where they will be seen.

What do Coyote tracks look like?

Front: Front footprint about 2.5 inches long, 4 toes. Hind: Hind footprint about 2.25 inches long, 4 toes. Toes: 4 toes, weight centered on the two middle toes, often angled slightly inward. Claws usually show. Gait: While walking, tracks often fall in a straight line with the animal's own prints overlapping; stride 18-22 inches.

How do I tell Coyote sign from Domestic Dog?

Learn the wild around you, one capture at a time.

Start with a single photo.