Unread postby mainebowhunter » Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:35 pm
Back on snow again today. Really, I am trying to kill 2 birds with one stone. I would like to lose another 30# in 2018. Lost 30 in 2017, gained 6 back over the holidays. And of course, great to be in the woods. I really would rather be out there after the snow has been on the ground for a few days.
So had a couple hours after a meeting. Jumped in and figured I would jump on a medium track that was headed back to a known bedding area. From the size of the bed, I knew it was not a giant. But with only couple hours of daylight left, figured I would follow it. Took me from one bed, to another bed and then to a final bed...this is the one I believe I kicked out of because tracks were fresh and they were running.!
What is interesting is that the snow was on the ground and started to fill in the tracks...stopped snowing at about 3 or 4 this morning. So that deer really only bedded 3x times in almost 10-12 or so hours.
It was also interesting to see the deer slow up, turn and watch its back track. Then take off running again. AND then to watch it hit a main travel corridor and move right down the corridor at full tilt. Also you start to realize if I were a tracker, just what kind of snow it takes to really get on a good track, KNOW its a good track and take it. Easy walking snow. BUT really hard to if you get into a bunch of tracks to sort it out. Snow was just so fluffy.
I am not a tracker by any stretch but the information you can find how these deer move through a piece has a lot of value. What is so great about this is these deer are behaving much the same way they did during the season. Gives me a chance to pin down exact beds they are using now and keep track of it for next fall. 100% they are bedding all the same areas.