Gait Study
Walks
A walk is a slow gait in which each foot moves independently and the animal is never completely airborne. The track pattern presents as groups of two tracks consistently spaced.
Overstep Walk
Brown Bear Ursus arctos
An overstep walk where the hind foot lands ahead of the front foot track from the same side.
2x2 Overstep Walk
Raccoon Procyon lotor
The raccoon has an extreme overstep walk, often called a 2x2 walk where the opposite hind foot lands next to the opposite front foot. This unique side by side track pattern is a distinctive trait of raccoon tracks.
Direct-Register Walk
White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus
The direct-register walk (the hind foot lands in the impression left by the front foot) is a common gait for deer. This deer is doing a very slow walk as it browses. The track pattern can often look like only one foot left a track, but if you look close you can generally see signs of the front track under the hind track.
