Antilocapra americana
Open grassland and sage from the Great Plains through the intermountain West, plus southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Heart-shaped tracks a bit smaller and more pointed than deer, about 2.25 to 3.25 inches.
What does a pronghorn look like?
Tan and white, black face marks, white rump. Horns, not antlers.
What do pronghorn tracks look like?
A neat split hoof without dewclaw marks. That missing dewclaw is the split from deer in the same country.
- Heart-shaped tracks a bit smaller and more pointed than deer, about 2.25 to 3.25 inches
- No dewclaws, so no extra dots behind the hoof
- White rump patch flashes when the animal runs
- Horns with a forward prong, not branched antlers
- Pellets similar to deer but often in open sage, not woods
What does pronghorn poop look like?
Small oval pellets in open grassland. Habitat does more work than the pellet shape. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Open grassland and sage from the Great Plains through the intermountain West, plus southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Typical places: field, desert. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not handle droppings
- If the animal is injured or inside a building, call a local wildlife officer
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Mule deer identification
- Elk identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
A pointed split hoof without dewclaws. Deer in the same country often leave dewclaw dots in soft ground.
How do you tell a pronghorn from an antelope?
North America’s pronghorn is not a true antelope. The forward prong on the horn sheath is the mark.
How to tell a pronghorn from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Mule deer. Similar heart-shaped hoof to white-tailed deer. Gray-brown body, oversized ears, black-tipped tail.
- Elk. A heavy, rounded heart print. Tall tan body, dark neck on bulls, pale rump.
Pronghorn field marks
- Heart-shaped tracks a bit smaller and more pointed than deer, about 2.25 to 3.25 inches
- No dewclaws, so no extra dots behind the hoof
- White rump patch flashes when the animal runs
- Horns with a forward prong, not branched antlers
Where the sign shows up
Open grassland and sage from the Great Plains through the intermountain West, plus southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Typical places: field, desert. Year-round where the species lives. Tracks show best in mud, sand, and snow.
A neat split hoof without dewclaw marks. That missing dewclaw is the split from deer in the same country. Small oval pellets in open grassland. Habitat does more work than the pellet shape.
Common questions
What do pronghorn tracks look like?
A pointed split hoof without dewclaws. Deer in the same country often leave dewclaw dots in soft ground.
How do you tell a pronghorn from an antelope?
North America’s pronghorn is not a true antelope. The forward prong on the horn sheath is the mark.