An expert is needed for more difficult calls. Problems arise when tracks were actually made by birds, mammals, crocodiles, pterosaurs, and turtles. Tracks are found in sedimentary strata. They are usually found in rocks deposited in continental areas, but some can be found shallow coastal waters. According to Dr. Montgomery, differences in the extent and distribution of prints are important for interpretation.
Age is determined from the age of the host strata.
In order to get an accurate measurement of the stride of a dinosaur that walked with its feet directly in front of each other, you would measure from the heel of one print to the heel of a third print. You can estimate fairly accurately the size of a dinosaur from the size of its footprint. Small bipeds had a hip height usually 4 to 5 times the footprint length. Large bipeds had a hip height of 4 times the footprint length. An appropriate skeleton length can then be determined from the hip height.