Tracking is an interesting skill that is most times learned with time and experience . It helps to have someone else that is a skilled tracker to learn from . The canine family is quite interesting as their front feet are longer then they are wide showing toe nails in their track most of the time . The back feet of canines is rounder then the front foot is but still shows toe nails most of the time . As with humans the male normally has larger feet then the female . With there being 19 different subspecies of coyote and 8 or 9 of those living in the United States they range in size as do their prints then if you throw in that there are cross breeds with the different wolf species you have a pretty good range of foot sizes . Then when you look at the different fox types their feet are similar in shape as the coyote for the most part but you also have crosses in the red fox as well as some differences in subspecies some red fox have longer legs then others with different feet sizes accordingly . If you look at the fox's that live in the artic regions they have a different foot shape different ear shape and shorter legs as they have adapted to living in the fridged snowy wind swept areas of the world . As with humans animals aren't the same size they don't all have the same foot size and as they age the same animals feet will change , like humans , with use and abuse . In my area tracking isn't the same in the mountains as it is in the lower parts of it . In the mountains it's more rocky with less areas of good dirt to make prints in so you will find some good prints then not have any for a distance then find more good prints but you will have disturbed course gravely sands short grasses ect. brush and other things to look in around and at . As with the rest of life tracking is in a state of constant change it rained last night so the dirt is better for tracks as the day heats up and the sun shines it dries out as do the tracks left then the sun raises and shines on the prints at a different angle . In the morning the grass is wet so you can see good where something passed through it but as time passes and it dries out those signs go away . It hasn't rained in a month and the dirt is powdery and the feet leave good prints till the wind comes up and blowers them out then you can't see a good print as if it were melting snow , or in very wet muddy soil . So many variables we just have generalities with tracking not much that is set in concrete . I would have preferred to write this some where else as I have strayed far from the original subject and have covered this in at least two other sites here in this area and heading but then we are limited in time and can't read all that has been posted in the past so I will give my apologies to the original poster about hijacking his post .