![]() In each track the marks made by the dewclaws sit behind the impressions of the large main toes. There’s a front print on the left and a hind print on the right. In the next photo you see tracks made by a deer moving toward the right on a relatively soft substrate at a slow gallop. ![]() The dewclaws don’t touch the ground most of the time, but with faster movement or on softer surfaces they can make contact to provide more support. Their keratinaceous outer sheathing combines with resilient internal tissues to cushion the feet against impact. You can see the arrangement of the large primary toes and the smaller dewclaws in the next photo of the front feet of a deer.ĭeer hooves are superbly adapted for running and jumping. ![]() The innermost toe (analogous to our thumb) was completely lost in the course of evolution. There are two smaller toes, the dewclaws, which are analogous to our index and pinky fingers and sit higher up on the back of the leg. The two large toes that make up the print in the photo above are analogous to the third and fourth fingers of our hand, but the toe bones (analogous to our finger bones) are highly modified and are enclosed in tough, protective structures. The specialized feet of deer are very different from those of their ancient five-toed ancestors. ![]() In fact, the tell-tale ridge may still be visible even when most other track details have been destroyed by weathering or melting. In tracks like the one in the photo, the ridge that runs front to back between the toes may be as important for identification as the toes themselves. The paired toes together form the overall shape, and the pointed ends of the toes point forward. When we think of deer tracks what usually comes to mind are heart-shaped prints like the one shown in the photo below. ![]()
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