Ask me a tracking question
- Spysar
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Magic, what's better, any ole track, or no track?
Say you found a track. Or set of tracks. You're pretty sure the track you found isn't a buck. Maybe you think it's a doe and fawns. Or even a young buck. Whatever the case may be, you just know it's not your desired track.
Do you follow the only tracks you're seeing. Or do you continue on, trying to find a big buck track elsewhere. Big bucks tend to be loners after breeding.
Myself, I like to follow the "any" track, as it seems deer lead to deer. I'm hoping "any" track will lead to a desirable track I can switch to. But maybe thats the wrong idea? Maybe I should break off and hope where I'm going on my own leads to a buck track?
Magic?
Say you found a track. Or set of tracks. You're pretty sure the track you found isn't a buck. Maybe you think it's a doe and fawns. Or even a young buck. Whatever the case may be, you just know it's not your desired track.
Do you follow the only tracks you're seeing. Or do you continue on, trying to find a big buck track elsewhere. Big bucks tend to be loners after breeding.
Myself, I like to follow the "any" track, as it seems deer lead to deer. I'm hoping "any" track will lead to a desirable track I can switch to. But maybe thats the wrong idea? Maybe I should break off and hope where I'm going on my own leads to a buck track?
Magic?
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
- Edcyclopedia
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Say you find a track that appears to be 3-4 hours old...
How fast do you move through the area trying to catch up to the buck before slowing as he may meader and feed then hits his bed (assume you do not know where he beds)?
How fast do you move through the area trying to catch up to the buck before slowing as he may meader and feed then hits his bed (assume you do not know where he beds)?
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
- Spysar
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Edcyclopedia wrote:Say you find a track that appears to be 3-4 hours old...
How fast do you move through the area trying to catch up to the buck before slowing as he may meader and feed then hits his bed (assume you do not know where he beds)?
I know you want Magic to answer, but this is what I do.
When I'm topping a ridge, I move slow and look a lot. After I top that ridge, and can see the top and valley below, I move faster.
If the track is moving in a fairly straight line, or following an edge, I move quicker.
If the track is topping a ridge, and the track is getting zig zag, I slow down.
If I think the deer is browsing, I slow down.
No matter what the track is doing, I like to look ahead for every step I take.
It's nice when you can keep the track in your periphial(sp) vision while always looking ahead.
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Lots of good info guys! Very informative.
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- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Spysar wrote:Magic, what's better, any ole track, or no track?
Say you found a track. Or set of tracks. You're pretty sure the track you found isn't a buck. Maybe you think it's a doe and fawns. Or even a young buck. Whatever the case may be, you just know it's not your desired track.
Do you follow the only tracks you're seeing. Or do you continue on, trying to find a big buck track elsewhere. Big bucks tend to be loners after breeding.
Myself, I like to follow the "any" track, as it seems deer lead to deer. I'm hoping "any" track will lead to a desirable track I can switch to. But maybe thats the wrong idea? Maybe I should break off and hope where I'm going on my own leads to a buck track?
Magic?
I usually follow tracks. I learn about deer that way and how they travel thru that area. Deer often lead me to other deer.
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- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Edcyclopedia wrote:Say you find a track that appears to be 3-4 hours old...
How fast do you move through the area trying to catch up to the buck before slowing as he may meader and feed then hits his bed (assume you do not know where he beds)?
I usually walk at a fast pace until he gives me a reason to believe he might bed.
If I get to a spot where I believe he might be hiding I yell "Marco"
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- U.P. bownut
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
When you think your getting close to the deer your tracking (or a deer that's bedded) is there a certain way you walk? I've herd way's of "walking like a deer" and was wondering if you guy's had any ideas or wisdom on this?
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- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
U.P. bownut wrote:When you think your getting close to the deer your tracking (or a deer that's bedded) is there a certain way you walk? I've herd way's of "walking like a deer" and was wondering if you guy's had any ideas or wisdom on this?
I just slow way down and pick the woods apart. I'm careful not to make any noise.
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- Spysar
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Here in NY there are no laws about wearing orange, which I really like. I feel its a slap in the face to have to wear something that makes you stick out like a turd in a punch bowl....
Massachusetts you have to wear orange....
So I always wear whites while tracking in NY, and whites with an orange vest in Mass.
It seems like I can see deer before they see me while I'm in all white. I've killed a decent amount of deer in beds or browsing that were not running.
Magic, do you think bright orange makes it that much harder to track and get a good shot? Is there any other states you track in that don't require orange? Do you think there are times when orange suits cost you shots at deer???
Massachusetts you have to wear orange....
So I always wear whites while tracking in NY, and whites with an orange vest in Mass.
It seems like I can see deer before they see me while I'm in all white. I've killed a decent amount of deer in beds or browsing that were not running.
Magic, do you think bright orange makes it that much harder to track and get a good shot? Is there any other states you track in that don't require orange? Do you think there are times when orange suits cost you shots at deer???
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Spysar wrote:Here in NY there are no laws about wearing orange, which I really like. I feel its a slap in the face to have to wear something that makes you stick out like a turd in a punch bowl....
Massachusetts you have to wear orange....
So I always wear whites while tracking in NY, and whites with an orange vest in Mass.
It seems like I can see deer before they see me while I'm in all white. I've killed a decent amount of deer in beds or browsing that were not running.
Magic, do you think bright orange makes it that much harder to track and get a good shot? Is there any other states you track in that don't require orange? Do you think there are times when orange suits cost you shots at deer???
It is my belief that deer see blaze orange as white. They pretty much see just black and white. I don't think it ever hurt me to wear blaze. My coat is knee length and solid blaze. I think a snow camo with blaze would be the best because then it wouldn't be one solid blob. Given the option, I would still wear some blaze.
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- Spysar
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
That being said, how many of your tracking shots are at running deer, and how many shots at still deer that you saw first?
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
Spysar wrote:That being said, how many of your tracking shots are at running deer, and how many shots at still deer that you saw first?
Most of the time the deer see me first. There are many factors involved in why this happens. Wind direction, deer usually bed watching their backtrack, noise (the biggest factor), They are usually bedded (not moving) and I'm moving. I think that in most cases it really doesn't matter what I would have been wearing. I believe the results in most cases would have been the same. Also, most of the places I hunt are very dense and to see them I would have to be very close. I don't know what the hunting pressure is like where you hunt but walking around in camo during rifle season in the areas I hunt would scare the crap out of me.
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
I don't know what the hunting pressure is like where you hunt but walking around in camo during rifle season in the areas I hunt would scare the crap out of me.
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
What is your rifle/caliber of choice? Do you use a scope?
- magicman54494
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Re: Ask me a tracking question
clareoutdoorsman wrote:What is your rifle/caliber of choice? Do you use a scope?
I started out with my 7600 30-06 w/scope. I finally picked up the same gun in carbine with iron sights. There are areas/situations where I still use my original gun. During muzzleloader season I use a CVA wolf w/ iron sights.
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