Deer tracks

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cmbrown337
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Deer tracks

Unread postby cmbrown337 » Sat Nov 03, 2018 1:07 am

Hey everyone,

I am going to start paying more attention to the deer tracks I come upon in the field as I want to start getting into tracking in the big woods as well as to help with scouting.

I know some of you beasts are already doing this so with that said I was wanting to start a thread where people post pictures of deer tracks, any deer tracks, buck or doe it doesn’t matter and explain why you think it’s a buck or doe track (what characteristics of the track lead you to make your conclusion), whether it’s a running or walking track and if you think the track is fresh or older and again what leads you to make that conclusion. Also point out any special characteristics of that track that may lead you to be able to identify that track in the future (direction the pointed part of the hoof points, crack or chip marks missing from the hoof, etc.

My hope with this is to get a wide variety of track pictures that other people on here can study that can assist them when they come across a track in the field.

I’ll post some pics when I go out to the woods next.


NH Teufelhund
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby NH Teufelhund » Sat Nov 03, 2018 9:13 am

Great idea. Hope folks post. I believe Joe Elsinger is a big tracks expert, look up his wired to hunt podcast.
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Boogieman1
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Nov 03, 2018 10:23 am

I'm far from any kind of track expert and honestly only thing I pay attention to is direction of travel. I relate direction of travel to food vs bedding and figure in the landscape and wind. But since u started a thread on tracks I have questions!

First off, I never get snow and in most cases tracks aren't even visible. But in rare cases when I get much rain these are my observations and curious if other parts of the country see the same.

When u see tracks going in both directions on the same trail it's usually due to being ontop of a feeding area. Both bucks and does don't leave there bed the same way they entered it. Usually a case of scent checking then trusting what the have been watching.

Most rut buck tracks matched with rubs reveal a oval pattern travel route. Again these are just my observations in ridge country which possibly could be dead wrong but it's how I connect the dots.
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cmbrown337
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby cmbrown337 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 7:50 am

I’ll start this off......what is everyone’s opinion on this track? Its in softer mud. I would say walking track due to the length of the stride. Less than 48 hours old as that was when our last rain was. Do all tracks splay out on soft ground like mud?

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Eddiegomes83
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby Eddiegomes83 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 9:46 am

Now keep in mind im in Florida so these are only big relative to here. This is not snow in the pic it is just sand. These happen to be some of the biggest tracks I have seen in florida. They are wide, long, and a long stride. I only have one more weekend at this guy and i am dying to see what he looks like. He had new fresh tracks here every day....or most likely night. All these tracks are walking tracks not running.
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stash59
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby stash59 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 11:06 am

cmbrown337 wrote:I’ll start this off......what is everyone’s opinion on this track? Its in softer mud. I would say walking track due to the length of the stride. Less than 48 hours old as that was when our last rain was. Do all tracks splay out on soft ground like mud?

Image


Image


It can be hard for others to accurately judge tracks from pics without some sort of standard of measurement also in the photo. I actually bought some crime scene angle measureers. To aid with this.
[url][url=https://postimg.cc/tnyWcqv7]Image[/url][/url]

Haven't been able to get out much so haven't got any pics with big tracks.

As for your pics. To me the top pic, specifically the two top tracks look like those from a running deer. Although it might just be another track from a second deer. So often we need multiple picks of the same track/set of tracks. To pass on the full "context" from those tracks, to others.

May I suggest you check out Rodney Elmer & Mountain Taxidermy on YouTube. He explain this concept some what in a upload called "4 Aspects of Tracks (On the Beach).

This is a good idea though.
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Crazinamatese
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Fri Nov 09, 2018 11:54 am

I don't have any pics to share. I do get excited when I see big tracks in a fresh scrape.
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Fri Nov 09, 2018 11:58 am

cmbrown337 wrote:I’ll start this off......what is everyone’s opinion on this track? Its in softer mud. I would say walking track due to the length of the stride. Less than 48 hours old as that was when our last rain was. Do all tracks splay out on soft ground like mud?

Image


Image



I would say yes, tracks do tend to spread out in wet soft dirt for better traction and balance. Some people will say its a big buck because all of his weight is causing his paws to spread out like that. Not sure on that theory. Its an adult deer for sure but given the damp soil I think almost any adult deer's feet would do that.
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ghoasthunter
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Fri Nov 09, 2018 4:00 pm

you really need too follow them for a while and see how they walk bucks dont like twisting there rack threw thick brush too fit stuff like that id suggest reading some books from the benoints and other trackers. unless its just huge its hard too tell just keep studying them its going to take years of learning too really figure it out.
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cmbrown337
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby cmbrown337 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:57 pm

Thanks for everyone’s contributions so far. I hope to get some more conversation going and some more photos. I think this topic could be a good reference for people wanting to understand tracks better.
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Motivated
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby Motivated » Fri Nov 09, 2018 9:28 pm

stash59 wrote:
cmbrown337 wrote:I’ll start this off......what is everyone’s opinion on this track? Its in softer mud. I would say walking track due to the length of the stride. Less than 48 hours old as that was when our last rain was. Do all tracks splay out on soft ground like mud?

Image


Image


It can be hard for others to accurately judge tracks from pics without some sort of standard of measurement also in the photo. I actually bought some crime scene angle measureers. To aid with this.
[url][url=https://postimg.cc/tnyWcqv7]Image[/url][/url]

Haven't been able to get out much so haven't got any pics with big tracks.

As for your pics. To me the top pic, specifically the two top tracks look like those from a running deer. Although it might just be another track from a second deer. So often we need multiple picks of the same track/set of tracks. To pass on the full "context" from those tracks, to others.

May I suggest you check out Rodney Elmer & Mountain Taxidermy on YouTube. He explain this concept some what in a upload called "4 Aspects of Tracks (On the Beach).

This is a good idea though.


I agree with stash that your pictures are not from the walking deer, because the back hoof track should fall somewhere close to the front hoof (or on top of it) when they walking. Full on running track has a square shape we're all for hoes land in close to a square. I would guess that this is more of a cantor or a lope, kind of a quick trot.

It's hard to tell from that picture because it's a little bit blurry, but it kind of looks like the leaves are disturbed as well, somewhat like something was moving fast and blew the leaves out of the way. Unless that was you for picture purposes.

Dan has a great article on tracks in the all time best tactical, although I don't know if the pictures are still available.

Speed of movement makes every track look a bit bigger. Also soft mud makes every track look bigger and splay out. When you kill your next deer, grab the hooves and pull them apart. It doesn't take really that much force on an older deer, the foot is kind of flexible. Also, when you recover your next kill, spend a couple minutes looking back over the track it left right before it died. In that case you likely know if it was running or walking, and you have a clear example of what the house looks like right in front of you when the deer is down.

I'm no expert but hopefully this was helpful.
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cmbrown337
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Re: Deer tracks

Unread postby cmbrown337 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 11:22 pm

Motivated wrote:
stash59 wrote:
cmbrown337 wrote:I’ll start this off......what is everyone’s opinion on this track? Its in softer mud. I would say walking track due to the length of the stride. Less than 48 hours old as that was when our last rain was. Do all tracks splay out on soft ground like mud?

Image


Image


It can be hard for others to accurately judge tracks from pics without some sort of standard of measurement also in the photo. I actually bought some crime scene angle measureers. To aid with this.
[url][url=https://postimg.cc/tnyWcqv7]Image[/url][/url]

Haven't been able to get out much so haven't got any pics with big tracks.

As for your pics. To me the top pic, specifically the two top tracks look like those from a running deer. Although it might just be another track from a second deer. So often we need multiple picks of the same track/set of tracks. To pass on the full "context" from those tracks, to others.

May I suggest you check out Rodney Elmer & Mountain Taxidermy on YouTube. He explain this concept some what in a upload called "4 Aspects of Tracks (On the Beach).

This is a good idea though.


I agree with stash that your pictures are not from the walking deer, because the back hoof track should fall somewhere close to the front hoof (or on top of it) when they walking. Full on running track has a square shape we're all for hoes land in close to a square. I would guess that this is more of a cantor or a lope, kind of a quick trot.

It's hard to tell from that picture because it's a little bit blurry, but it kind of looks like the leaves are disturbed as well, somewhat like something was moving fast and blew the leaves out of the way. Unless that was you for picture purposes.

Dan has a great article on tracks in the all time best tactical, although I don't know if the pictures are still available.

Speed of movement makes every track look a bit bigger. Also soft mud makes every track look bigger and splay out. When you kill your next deer, grab the hooves and pull them apart. It doesn't take really that much force on an older deer, the foot is kind of flexible. Also, when you recover your next kill, spend a couple minutes looking back over the track it left right before it died. In that case you likely know if it was running or walking, and you have a clear example of what the house looks like right in front of you when the deer is down.

I'm no expert but hopefully this was helpful.


That is good advice advice Motivated about looking at the hoof and the tracks of the next deer I kill. I will definitely do that. I just started paying attention to tracks. I use to see them and really think nothing of it besides thinking the fact that there was a deer there at some point. I am quite intrigued about the whole process of studying tracks. I would love to get to the point to identifying a deer by just his track alone.


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