Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

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mheichelbech
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Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Oct 12, 2020 2:27 pm

What deer or mature buck sign do hunters commonly overlook or do not ascribe enough importance to when scouting or sign that hunters might not interpret correctly? Here are some that I’ve seen or learned about since joining the Beast:

1) Bedding and buck bedding and why the bed is where it is and when it’s likely to be used.

2) Terrain traps or features that guide deer movement.

3) Recognizing areas getting browsed - this is often more difficult to notice, especially in dry weather.

4) Having areas that are great but not figuring out why and being able to find similar areas, or not recognizing a pattern.

5) Current food sources.

6) Not recognizing buck trails.


"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby brancher147 » Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:43 pm

Not being able to see tracks in the leaves.

Not noticing saplings snapped off as rubs-this is huge as in my experience snapped off saplings equals big buck.

This just a couple things I noticed scouting with someone the other day they did not pick up on.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:58 am

brancher147 wrote:Not being able to see tracks in the leaves.

Not noticing saplings snapped off as rubs-this is huge as in my experience snapped off saplings equals big buck.

This just a couple things I noticed scouting with someone the other day they did not pick up on.

I think another one is noticing plants that have been nibbled on. I tend to notice what they like and what they ignore. It also tells me if they are moving through an area at a quick or leisurely pace. Wish you could tell the difference between buck browsing and does browsing. Obviously is you see larger turds around you can make an educated guess. Also when I see a lot of deer scar in area, especially bigger ones it gets me excited.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:51 pm

Buck bedding that's not loaded with rubs. I've had to jump a few to recognize they were bucks'. Seems like one of the reasons guys struggle during early season and the lull. Too focused on rut and prerut sign.

Areas that don't have much sign (tracks, rubs, scrapes, food), but has the right cover and is near bedding. Some of the more mature bucks I've located are in these areas during day light. Away from other deer. Outside of the rut I'm avoiding the heavy doe trails and looking for the subtle buck trails. Without history in an area they're hard to see until around November.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby KLEMZ » Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:35 pm

A couple things I equate to the biggest deer in the area that aren't mentioned much...

1) snapped off saplings....brancher mentioned it in his post...If I find a 24" sapling stump that is thumb size in diameter, snapped clean in half, I know that a fully mature buck did this. If the sapling is snapped off but pinky size in diameter, I assume a younger animal with a good rack did this, (it takes tyne length to engage and snap a pinky sapling. It takes tyne length PLUS strength to snap a thumb size sapling). When ever I find a thumb size sapling snapped off, I usually find other evidence of a pig...big turds and big tacks.

2) snapped off licking branches that are thumb size in diameter....again, it takes a long tyned muscular buck to snap such big licking branches off. I always hear about scrapes the size of a "car hood". I rarely hear about a scrape with a stout licking branch. My experience tells me that stout licking branches are a real good sign that a mature buck is living in the area. I suspect that "old" stout licking branches are a sign that the area has the potential to grow a mature buck (just like old big rubs indicate a good potential area).
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Seeker529 » Sun Oct 25, 2020 11:01 pm

mheichelbech wrote:What deer or mature buck sign do hunters commonly overlook or do not ascribe enough importance to when scouting or sign that hunters might not interpret correctly? Here are some that I’ve seen or learned about since joining the Beast:

1) Bedding and buck bedding and why the bed is where it is and when it’s likely to be used.

2) Terrain traps or features that guide deer movement.

3) Recognizing areas getting browsed - this is often more difficult to notice, especially in dry weather.

4) Having areas that are great but not figuring out why and being able to find similar areas, or not recognizing a pattern.

5) Current food sources.

6) Not recognizing buck trails.


#4 & #6 are spot on for me! I try hard to figure out these two things! But I definitely feel I over complicate it all!! I still love the challenge and trying to figure it out even though I feel I never really do!
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Moose » Sun Oct 25, 2020 11:14 pm

#4

Thermals and how the wind affects your setup. Im still figuring that out, i think a spot is perfect but my milkweed tells me different.

Tree types. Red/white oaks, fruit bering trees
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:30 am

[quote="Moose"]#4

Thermals and how the wind affects your setup. Im still figuring that out, i think a spot is perfect but my milkweed tells me different.

Tree types. Red/white oaks, fruit bering trees[/quote

Hard to know if there wasn’t a camera around but I always wonder how many bucks or ever deer I haven’t seen because they smelled before they ever even got close enough to see.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby isitseasonyet? » Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:36 am

brancher147 wrote:Not being able to see tracks in the leaves.

Not noticing saplings snapped off as rubs-this is huge as in my experience snapped off saplings equals big buck.

This just a couple things I noticed scouting with someone the other day they did not pick up on.


Interesting you say this, I noticed this a lot in my areas this year, and bucks on camera prove it, when we only have small bucks those trees are just rubs
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:41 am

Big tracks, faint parallel trails along edges or transitions, big rubs in overlooked areas - near parking areas, ditches.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Tue Dec 29, 2020 1:48 pm

what are some characteristics of a "buck trail" ?
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Motivated » Tue Dec 29, 2020 2:22 pm

When switching between higher and lower deer density areas, recognizing heavy versus lightly trafficked areas. Tricky for me at least.

Direction of travel based on tracks, logs kicked on one side, or browse into a direction and then interpreting if this is traveled at night, morning, or evening.

Width between tracks = broad shoulders.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:05 am

Motivated wrote:When switching between higher and lower deer density areas, recognizing heavy versus lightly trafficked areas. Tricky for me at least.

Direction of travel based on tracks, logs kicked on one side, or browse into a direction and then interpreting if this is traveled at night, morning, or evening.

Width between tracks = broad shoulders.

I’ve noticed on several occasions where the lack of well used trails didn’t tell the story...watching deer travel in a scattered out manner and bucks not always using the same trail. Also tracks can be hard or impossible to see on dry or frozen ground.
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Re: Overlooked deer/bucks sign?

Unread postby Rmallen » Wed Dec 30, 2020 5:10 am

Another overlooked clue I believe is fresh poop. I covered a lot of ground last couple weeks just trying to find haunts. I find one clue as to the frequency and most recent uses of an area is poop. If it’s completely dry you know it’s been a while. I can’t scout quiet enough so I have to look for clues as to when I think the deer was there last a squishy pile of poop is pretty obvious. In conjunction with rubs scrapes browse and beds.


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