Is it my eyes playing up or does this track look weird?

[Bushwhacker]

I snapped this deer track because I wanted something that showed the dew claws and it just seems to look weird in the photo now.
In context this was on a (roughly) 15 degree incline heading downwards. I'd like some other opinions.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Perhaps I should explain more:
The bottom of the track looks concave and the overall form is not as sharply defined as I'd expect, especially the gap between the cleaves.
I wondering if there was only light pressure added (a slight touch down and readjustment) but then would you expect to see the dew claws if that was the case?
I wish I could've hung about to look a bit more now but I was with 2 others on a wild flower foray and only paused briefly to snap this.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Could it have been a slip with the foot shooting forward?

 

[21st century pict]

Are there any Sika Deer in the area? There’s none up here so not very familiar to me but I understand there dew claws are very close.
My first impression was dog’s digital pads and claws moving to the right note the sand on the leaves possibly transfer from intredigital pad, it would have been nice to see under that leaves.

You should have said you seen a birds nest orchid here last week to by some time.


ps, do you call it a interdigital pad or a metacarpal pad,
proximal or carpal pad.

 

[21st century pict]

After reading up on Brown, Lawrence and Pope could be Sika or Fallow but dew claws to close for Roe deer. So ?
PS party on Bro.

 

[Bushwhacker]

I'm thinking you might be right on the dog thing and I was having a mind melt. There are Sika in that area though but then I don't recall seeing any other dog tracks. I dunno. Anyhow, I went out and found a proper dew claw track yesterday which I'll post up tomorrow.

 

[Paganwolf]

looks like the front two toes of a large dog, soil transfer on the plantain and compression other side of plant into the soil, its soft ground a deer would have left a good print there.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Here we go, this is more like it.
Found at the base of a vertical bank on heavy clay soil. The depth of the slots is very deep, about 2/3rds the length of the lighter.
Only Roe Deer are prevalent here.

 

[Maggot]

Gruffalo? That's what I tell my kids are responsible for any unexplained tracks we come across