Someone Thinks They Found Wolf Tracks in Illinois
This is more of a question than an answer. Someone thinks they've found wolf tracks in Illinois, but there's a slight problem trying to determine if they're correct.
Almost no one has seen this video on YouTube since the person that shared it has very few subscribers. It's a super-short video of what looks like it might be wolf tracks. Maybe. Perhaps.
So many questions. Does the track look like it COULD be from a wolf? Sure. Could it just be a big dog? Absolutely. Since it's in snow, it's hard to discern details. Wildlife Illinois has real wolf tracks and they seem to be a bit bigger than what this person has discovered. If you look at their helpful comparison chart, it's either a large dog or wolf.
It's worth remembering that there are gray wolves in Illinois. As a matter of fact, they are on the state's endangered species list.
The other possibility is a coyote. Wilderness College shows coyote prints and they don't look that different from what this person found in the snow.
The one question that isn't answered in the video short is exactly where in Illinois this track was found. If it's in southern Illinois, I'd be more likely to think it's possibly a wolf than metro Chicago. Common sense for the win.