Ground disturbance

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Craaaig
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Ground disturbance

Unread postby Craaaig » Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:07 pm

I read an article a long time ago about dogs being able to track people based only upon ground distance. The article was inquisitive to suggest that maybe deer can also smell ground disturbances... I found an article real quick about dogs and ground disturbance. Here's a paragraph and the link.

" First let us look at the non specific crushed vegetational or ground disturbance method which is probably the most widely used method employed throughout the world at the moment. This method utilizes the theory that where ever a person walks, they cause an effect on the ground environment of crushing vegetation or disturbing the soil or ground surface or squashing, crushing, damaging any type of ground dwelling organism; all of the aforementioned causing a path of disturbances that cause some sort of odour for the trained dog to follow, hence allowing the dog to track. Whilst the ground disturbance method of tracking is fine for short purposes which are usually set out in very controlled environments which possess little other sources of ground disturbance, sport tracking is just that - although very important to participating parties, should a dog be unsuccessful it would only mean failure in a sporting event, but should someone’s life be placed as the end result, this situation takes on a very serious side. With ground disturbance tracking, we have to take into account anything that traverses over the environment physically will also produce the same effect as a human, which means that other animals will produce ground disturbance, any object dragged, driven, pulled or pushed will also produce ground disturbance and there have been scientific tests done in Europe this century that have proven this fact and that also pointed out that with ground disturbance tracking it was definitely not particulate and could only produce at best, limited success when other ground disturbances were present."

http://www.erinrac.com/ezine/article.ph ... 3&item=216

What do you guys think? Is it possible that deer can also smell ground disturbance? If dogs can smell ground disturbance that would also make me wonder about bears, possibly coons, or other animals with a sensitive nose.

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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:48 pm

Yes. i BELIEVE THEY SMELL GROUND DISTURBANCE. Even more so than a dog. But, if they are smelling our ground disturbance, they are also smelling us.
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby Craaaig » Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:34 pm

It would make sense that they could distinguish our ground disturbance and relate it back to humans, not many other 2 legs creatures out there with big platform feet stumbling through the woods and climbing up embankments, leave skid marks everywhere... It would also help explain why they can eventually pick you off and pattern you no matter what kind of preparations you take. All of this relates back to the importance of a solid entry/exit route, and the importance of first time sits. I have a couple spots that have to be accessed by boat and its maybe 15-30 steps on land to get to the tree, I may hunt these spots an extra day or two because the entry/exit is set up in my favor.

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Southern Man
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby Southern Man » Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:01 am

Craaaig wrote:
What do you guys think? Is it possible that deer can also smell ground disturbance? If dogs can smell ground disturbance that would also make me wonder about bears, possibly coons, or other animals with a sensitive nose.



Absolutely. I can smell ground disturbance. Think about it. Have you ever raked the leaves away from the ground in the fall woods? You can smell the earth, wet leaves. Animals can smell alot better than we can.
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby goldtip5575 » Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:16 am

Southern Man wrote:
Craaaig wrote:
What do you guys think? Is it possible that deer can also smell ground disturbance? If dogs can smell ground disturbance that would also make me wonder about bears, possibly coons, or other animals with a sensitive nose.



Absolutely. I can smell ground disturbance. Think about it. Have you ever raked the leaves away from the ground in the fall woods? You can smell the earth, wet leaves. Animals can smell alot better than we can.

I thought freshly broken or dug soil peaked interest in that area by deer.....
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goldtip5575
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby goldtip5575 » Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:16 am

Southern Man wrote:
Craaaig wrote:
What do you guys think? Is it possible that deer can also smell ground disturbance? If dogs can smell ground disturbance that would also make me wonder about bears, possibly coons, or other animals with a sensitive nose.



Absolutely. I can smell ground disturbance. Think about it. Have you ever raked the leaves away from the ground in the fall woods? You can smell the earth, wet leaves. Animals can smell alot better than we can.

I thought freshly broken or dug soil peaked interest in that area by deer.....
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Maple_Ridge
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby Maple_Ridge » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:58 am

Something that has always had me questioning it.....

If rubber boots are 'scent free' boots.....how can whitetail not smell the rubber odor left behind and be alarmed? Or maybe its a non alarming scent?

I have seen does track my own trail, following my footsteps. Not alarmed but curious.

I would think a mature buck would spook.

Sorry for going off topic

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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby dan » Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:16 am

There is no way a deer, or a dog, is smelling ground disturbance, and not the human that made the disturbance. Yes, they can smell the disturbance, but they also smell what left it there.
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby dirt nap giver » Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:48 am

I don't know that there is truth to this, but I have heard from "pro" trackers use hounds in the red and blue tick line because of their ability to pick up odor left behind weeks previous.
I have tried the "hunting ground" only boot practice as a way of "eliminating" my presence. Didn't work! I have had does lock right up on my trail wearing rubber boots. Reducing it......? Yeah! But not eliminating it.
I have had other circumstances where I have had mature bucks cross my trail and keep right on going without showing any body language that they smelled me.
Puzzling for sure.

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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby dan » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:08 am

I have had mature bucks cross my trail and keep right on going without showing any body language that they smelled me.
Puzzling for sure.

Its all relative to where the scent is... You don't see much negative reaction when bucks cross roads, trails, or walk thru yards... But have them cross your scent trail near there bedding area, or where they don't expect it, and watch the reaction...

Back when I used to guide deer hunters I would glass bucks from a distance and see them stage in the same area every day, then put a hunter in there and have the deer come out the same way they always do.... But, even when the hunter passed all the shots and the deer walked by as if nothing was wrong. They did not come back the next day, or for many days after that... Regardless of the magic suits 1/2 the guys wore.
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Re: Ground disturbance

Unread postby gjs4 » Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:09 pm

i absolutely believe ground distrubance is a tip off

On a different, experimental note....i picked up a set of those elimitrax boots (for $25) to try and they have "waffled" bottoms to minimize footprint area and my desire to try them stems from that....if they dont pan out i am sure there is another sucker out there willing to see if their success is plausable
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