Singing Bridge wrote:stash59 wrote:Singing Bridge wrote:stash59 wrote:Great stuff Scott!! Roger Rothare wrote about how bucks scent check beds also. Thanx again. The pics really help.
Have you noticed how much growth a buck shows in his tracks from say 2 y.o. to 3 y.o. And is there a big jump from say winter to next fall. Since with winter being a stressful time less growth will occur. During the limited scouting I got in last spring with snow on the ground I came across what were the largest tracks for the area. They were 21/2 to 3 fingers wide. With strides longer than what I concluded were doe tracks.I just wondered if that might indicate a buck that will be 3 fingers plus in the fall. 3 y.o. bucks would be good bucks in this area.
From spring to fall it can be hard to tell much of a change in size, although sometimes I see growth. Tracks have characteristics that are like a fingerprint, individual buck tracks look different from the other bucks and this can help keep track of them. The shape of the print, the splay of front, the odd angle of one of the hooves, a chip out of the track, whether the toes are pointed (softer soil / swamps) or rounded (rocky terrain, hills, bluffs) are all identifying features. Dan had a great idea of taking a picture of the buck's track for future reference, and I snap a pic with my cellphone and catalog it.
I'm just an average joe, and I scout and hunt a huge number of areas. I can only afford a few trailcams, so tracks / droppings / rub height / bed size, etc. are my most valuable tools for monitoring my bucks.[/quote
Thanx Scott!! So am I correct to assume noticing an increase in track size is more of a year to year thing. Or is it more like they just tend to splay more with the added weight brought on by age? Gotta say it really stinks not being able to go out and study this stuff for myself right now!!
I'm more like you on the trail cam thing too. When I can get back at it it would take way more cams than is in my budget!!
For me at least, it's been more of an offseason to offseason change. The tracks do tend to splay more with a combination of buck age and weight. They also start to walk in more of a flat-footed manner with increased weight. Where the imprint of their dew claws become more prevalent. When I see a wide, walking track on a hard packed dirt road, and the dew claws are leaving heavy imprinting with the tracks, thats a big animal and game on.
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Thanx Scott!!