Turd Size

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Scratchman
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Turd Size

Unread postby Scratchman » Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:31 am

Good Afternoon hunting beast. I have a topic that to me seems pretty simple. That said have seen some pretty heated debate over it whenever it gets brought up. It is the notion that there is some relationship between big bucks and big turds. Especially during the summer months I take the time to analyze dropping size. I should mention,more important than what I look at, is what I don't look at. If I notice large individual pellets in multiple piles in one area, I start looking around for more sign. I don't really consider clump droppings (unless they are massive), slightly above average size droppings, individual huge droppings, or anything that looks like a deer had a rough night at the bar. I look for neatly formed average looking piles that have above average pellet size. I have specific measurements that I hone in on but would keep them out of the conversation to account for regional variables, although in northern climates I don't think there is a huge variation. The most frequent response that I get when I mention this tactic to others is "I've seen some big poops come from little people" with that they generally throw it all out the window as quack science. That said I feel it is a pretty good indicator of body size, especially when you get into areas with consistently large individual pellets. While listening the Hunting Public podcast this week Jeff Sturgis mentioned it more than once as a tactic. So what do you guys think? In my opinon it is far from an exact science, but in the spring and summer with little in the way of current sign, it is one of my go to's.


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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Ishi Spirit » Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:40 am

Poo size........ how big...means nothing to me :lol: That’s not on my list for determining trophy status
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby muddy » Wed Jul 03, 2019 10:56 am

It's not the size of the turd that determines if you've found big buck sign, but the flavor. Buck turds have a slight cinnamon flavor as opposed to does who have a strong vanilla flavor.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby vermonthunter16 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:20 am

muddy wrote:It's not the size of the turd that determines if you've found big buck sign, but the flavor. Buck turds have a slight cinnamon flavor as opposed to does who have a strong vanilla flavor.


I agree. Lip a turd and you will know. :mrgreen:

I think the size can give you maybe a better indication betwee say fawn and adult, but I have not seen any connection with big poo and big bucks, but I also havent put too much weight behind it and dont pay too much attention, so my opinion may be invalid :lol:
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Grizzlyadam » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:57 am

If I'm scouting an area looking for big buck sign I generally find big turds if one has been there.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby ODH » Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:55 pm

Not to get too technical, but living here in a more northern climate we tend to find "logs" as opposed to loose pellets. Logs are just clunps of pellets stuck together. Maybe it's due to body size? So if we see a log, we try to find the track that goes with it, and follow it if/when the rest of the sign warrants it. Loose pellets don't get much attention. I don't have any pics of it on my phone but I'll take one next time out if anyone really wants one. Hope that helps.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Eddiegomes83 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 9:43 pm

I've cleaned a lot of deer, and seen a lot of their turds while cleaning it, and they all for the most part appear to be the same size at least down here in Florida. Then again all of RDR roughly the same size like big does with antlers. I have noticed in the woods that the fresher the turds the larger they are. It seems they start to shrink as they get older to eventually they turn into a little black turds. I assume this is because they are drying out. So maybe the size of the turd can be a way of telling how old it is, meaning the turd not the Deer
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby hokiehunter373 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:22 pm

ODH wrote:Not to get too technical, but living here in a more northern climate we tend to find "logs" as opposed to loose pellets. Logs are just clunps of pellets stuck together. Maybe it's due to body size? So if we see a log, we try to find the track that goes with it, and follow it if/when the rest of the sign warrants it. Loose pellets don't get much attention. I don't have any pics of it on my phone but I'll take one next time out if anyone really wants one. Hope that helps.


Which brings up a whole other debate about only bucks having logs and does have a pile of pellets. That’s what I was brought up on. Pretty sure there’s been studies and that’s a load of crap (sorry I had to)
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby ODH » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:30 pm

hokiehunter373 wrote:
ODH wrote:Not to get too technical, but living here in a more northern climate we tend to find "logs" as opposed to loose pellets. Logs are just clunps of pellets stuck together. Maybe it's due to body size? So if we see a log, we try to find the track that goes with it, and follow it if/when the rest of the sign warrants it. Loose pellets don't get much attention. I don't have any pics of it on my phone but I'll take one next time out if anyone really wants one. Hope that helps.


Which brings up a whole other debate about only bucks having logs and does have a pile of pellets. That’s what I was brought up on. Pretty sure there’s been studies and that’s a load of crap (sorry I had to)


Yeah like everything else there are no absolutes or always. Tracks and other sign seem to be better predictors of helping find what we are looking for.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Scratchman » Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:34 am

ODH wrote:
hokiehunter373 wrote:
ODH wrote:Not to get too technical, but living here in a more northern climate we tend to find "logs" as opposed to loose pellets. Logs are just clunps of pellets stuck together. Maybe it's due to body size? So if we see a log, we try to find the track that goes with it, and follow it if/when the rest of the sign warrants it. Loose pellets don't get much attention. I don't have any pics of it on my phone but I'll take one next time out if anyone really wants one. Hope that helps.


Which brings up a whole other debate about only bucks having logs and does have a pile of pellets. That’s what I was brought up on. Pretty sure there’s been studies and that’s a load of crap (sorry I had to)


Yeah like everything else there are no absolutes or always. Tracks and other sign seem to be better predictors of helping find what we are looking for.


I live in Northern Vermont and observe droppings with regularity. I see all types. Whether a deer poops a clump or individual pellets is more a function of constitution and diet. From what I understand pellets are more of a woody browse thing and clumps are more of a green/soft mast thing. Also time of day may have something to do with it ie. just after getting up vs. just before laying down. I also 100% agree with tracks and other sign being better indicators yet a deer poops more than 1 dozen times per day. Especially in the summer a buck may go a long period of time without leaving any other sign as to his existence. For me I am always looking for areas with a lot of droppings to detect activity, and when you look at the poo as much as I do you start to notice things. Of course hearing the likes of Dr Nordberg, Dr karl Miller and Jeff Sturgis talk about these things really gave me something to look for. So when I do start to see piles with larger size pellets that is when I switch gears to look an area over more closely for other sign. Especially if it is in the right area. When I find the other sign (beds, rubs,track etc.) that is when get serious. For me poo on it's own is not a great indicator. It is the right combination of sign in the right place.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby whi52873 » Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:54 am

Scratchman wrote:Good Afternoon hunting beast. I have a topic that to me seems pretty simple. That said have seen some pretty heated debate over it whenever it gets brought up. It is the notion that there is some relationship between big bucks and big turds. Especially during the summer months I take the time to analyze dropping size. I should mention,more important than what I look at, is what I don't look at. If I notice large individual pellets in multiple piles in one area, I start looking around for more sign. I don't really consider clump droppings (unless they are massive), slightly above average size droppings, individual huge droppings, or anything that looks like a deer had a rough night at the bar. I look for neatly formed average looking piles that have above average pellet size. I have specific measurements that I hone in on but would keep them out of the conversation to account for regional variables, although in northern climates I don't think there is a huge variation. The most frequent response that I get when I mention this tactic to others is "I've seen some big poops come from little people" with that they generally throw it all out the window as quack science. That said I feel it is a pretty good indicator of body size, especially when you get into areas with consistently large individual pellets. While listening the Hunting Public podcast this week Jeff Sturgis mentioned it more than once as a tactic. So what do you guys think? In my opinon it is far from an exact science, but in the spring and summer with little in the way of current sign, it is one of my go to's.



I agree with the statement "I've seen some big poops come from little people"....my 2 year old is living proof of that. However, human diets vary wildly on a daily basis with what we eat and how much we eat.

Deer have a much more consistent diet with slow transitions depending on the time of year. A yearling will not randomly gorge itself like my two year old to create a massive poop. The bigger the deer, the more food it will eat which results in a bigger poop. I hunt big woods public land and all they have to eat is natural browse/mast. This may not relate to farm land but it is for sure a scouting tool I use each year in the area I hunt.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Dpierce72 » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:27 am

Personally, I believe it's part of the puzzle and have a couple examples where this was the ONLY sign and resulted in mature buck encounters. Coincidence? Perhaps ...but it's enough for me to believe for now.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:44 am

1 pile maybe not - lots of large poop I'd pay attention.
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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Randyflash » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:49 am

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Re: Turd Size

Unread postby Dpierce72 » Thu Jul 04, 2019 3:03 am

DaveT1963 wrote:1 pile maybe not - lots of large poop I'd pay attention.


In each of the situations I refer to above, it was 8-10 piles/clumps in a very small area which, I believed and verified, was a large animal spending considerable time in the area. Good point on 1 pile vs several...
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