Track ID, give me your thoughts please

[Zona]

What do you guys think? Our mature bucks around here run 180-200lbs. This track was larger than others in the area, but not a 4 finger which I doubt exists around here. Wish I would of followed the track, but I ran out of light and time.

[dan]

Its really hard to tell from a picture... There is nothing to gauge size by.

[Motivated]

Honestly I'm not very good at prints in the snow. I say that because I was just fooled by a doe last week. The doe that fooled me had dew claws in her print, because of the snow.

Your pic shows two tracks, the second being slightly behind the first and showing dew claws. If I'm wrong someone please correct me. I won't be offended.

Back to how the doe fooled me, and my thoughts on how to help. She had big wide feet. Her step length was pretty good too, so I thought she was a buck initially. I wanted her to be a buck, that's for sure. So maybe I fooled myself.

Two factors really helped me figure it out for certain. First was step width. Her chest was narrow, so her tracks were not spaced out widely. A good buck leaves widely staggered prints, maybe 8-10 inches. He has thicker shoulders and a wider body, so wider tracks. Hal Blood's book has a good section on tracks. I usually throw down my clipboard to measure track width and video my scouting findings for further review and study later. Yes, I'm a nerd.

The first piece of info about should have been enough for me to figure out it was a doe, but the second piece of information really put it together. It was context. After tracking for 40 yards or so she met up with a couple small deer, and they walked together. They bedded down on a ridge within 40 yards of the field edge. They were bedded in a group within 10 yards of each other, facing different directions. One large bed and two smaller beds. Classic doe family group. Context told me she was a doe for certain.

My thoughts on your pic: I wonder what was the stride length, the step witdh, and the context.

Hopefully this helps!

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[Zona]

I apologize for the lack of info. I was focusing on the offset of the track. To me the front hoof looks kicked out from a deer with a larger chest. I am trying to pay more attentions to tracks this year and your info has pointed me in the right direction. Thanks!!

[wickedbruiser]

I also have experienced tracks getting bigger when snow slightly melts.

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