Learning from a single deer track.

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Ghost Hunter
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Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Sun Feb 25, 2018 7:21 am

I know this seems kind of basic. Something I have always told people new to hunting deer. When you see a big track or even a good track. A whitetail deer decisions are based off of survival a lot of times. They do nothing by chance especially when that get a few years behind them. A single track can tell you a lot. Look at where that track is pointed and where it came from. Think about it in terms of distance up to a 1/4 mile or more. Investigate where that track came from and where it is going. Closer to thick cover that that track is, more you need to be cautious about your scouting.


I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
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Boogieman1
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Re: Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:08 am

We all have diff theories and hunt diff herds, I enjoy reading everyone else's take on things like this. I spent a lot of time on tracks, rubs, and single pics from a game camera over the years. For myself and the herd I hunt the only thing a big track lets me know is there is a large bodied deer that at some point in time used this route. That peaks my interest, then the games begin.

I want to get a pic of the buck to confirm he is something I want to throw a lot of effort at. Once that is confirmed, I'm all about history. I don't wanna be following tracks or rubs constantly behind him. I wanna be set up and waiting the first time they are laid down.

Many ways to skin a cat, this is just what I enjoy. Not claiming it to be best way or only way just simply my way. In my hill country low deer density it is very common for a buck to only pass through your area once. So I get infront of them and wait them out.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Ghost Hunter
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Re: Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:04 am

I agree totally. But, so many hunters just starting out. When I say just starting out. I mean first or second year They look at big picture and easy to get over whelmed with where do I start. Or, that is way I once was. Still that way when I walk into a new area. Start simple break it down in sections. Pay attention to travel routes and look where they are headed. This is what I like about this site. We all hunt different areas of country an learn different techniques from a site like what we have here.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.
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Rob loper
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Re: Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby Rob loper » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:29 am

Ghost Hunter wrote:I agree totally. But, so many hunters just starting out. When I say just starting out. I mean first or second year They look at big picture and easy to get over whelmed with where do I start. Or, that is way I once was. Still that way when I walk into a new area. Start simple break it down in sections. Pay attention to travel routes and look where they are headed. This is what I like about this site. We all hunt different areas of country an learn different techniques from a site like what we have here.


My biggest problem now is not finding beds but its finding the travel routes i a couple of guys on here and can look at an aireals and tell you almost exact travel patterns from beds to foods. What am i missing? How does one figure that out just by looking at a map? Experience is one thing but one day it just has to pop be there. A realization moment where you geet it. When where and how does one get to that moment? Just by looking at a map? Its something im missing gotta be
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tgreeno
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Re: Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby tgreeno » Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:13 am

A single deer track is just another tool in the hunters . Hopefully you find other keys that help fill in some blanks.

Typically for me, the track just helps confirm what I usually already suspected from my cyber scouting. There is a larger buck in the area, and his direction of travel. Many times it's heading to suspected bedding or out of bedding. Usually I'm already in the area because my cyber scouting has put me there.
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oldrank
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Re: Learning from a single deer track.

Unread postby oldrank » Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:49 pm

A big buck will not rub every tree he passes or make a scrape every 50 ft... If he is walking his feet are touching the ground with every step.

Add that with browse marks, bedding, rubs and scrapes n his world starts opening up in a hunters eyes.

If I have fresh buck tracks going into bedding odds are I'm seeing that buck that night.


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