Does anyone track anymore?

[NYbuck50]

With the cold front hitting this weekend, and what looks like our first good tracking snow this weekend, im wondering if anyone else still actively tracks deer. I grew up hunting like this in the Adirondacks, but it seems like people these days dont want to leave the treestand. I'll be dressed light and looking for the right buck track Sunday am if the snow comes. anyone else??

[Hoss315er]

I'm sure it is more of an issue of having enough access to land to cut deer tracks and trail it before reaching a property line.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I love still hunting, and have tracked once and caught up with the deer. Problem was, he was already across the property line. You need large, continuous tracts for that, which is why many dont do it.

[Nomad]

I'd love to ,but after 5 minutes I'd be on another's land. All around us are sit and don't walk land.

[Meat Manager]

With the high wind sunday I will probably abandon my treestands for the first time this season...I'll only still hunt my private lease.

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Edited November 22, 2013 by Meat Manager

[burmjohn]

I LOVE when it snows, its the best hunting of the year.

[blackradio]

I've tried but ran out of property quick. On the new property I hunt it is doable but could lead me more than a mile from the road with a long drag ahead of me.

[nys-buckstalker]

Only if the snow is fresh and soft to walk in. Like said nowadays you run into property lines before seeing the deer. Works good if hunting a WMA or DEP/ NYC watershed property.

[G-Man]

yep fun way to hunt, but like said need a pretty big piece to do it all day.

[Doc]

The only place where I can track deer and have a chance of catching up with them is state land. That's the only place where there is enough contiguous land with legal access to actually pull it off. In my younger years that was a popular way for me to hunt. The problem now as I continue to get old and decrepit is that I have to keep in mind that anything I get has to be dragged all the way back. I used to get so far away that that would be impractical anymore. A two mile drag up and downhill is pretty much out of the question anymore.

[Jennifer]

Used to do this with turkeys when we had access to large tracts of public access land. I'd get a call from dad after a snowfall and he'd say "let's go track and attack!". That's gone to us now, sadly, so we can't go terribly far without hitting property lines unless we drive up to state lands. I'd love to be able to do this with deer someday.

[nyantler]

I have been tracking for over 20 years... I even track on my 1000 acre lease... nearly all my bucks have been taken that way. Love the anticipation of that big buck being just ahead... even though most times he's not

 

[Early]

Despite my being a horrible tracker, it is an exciting way to hunt.  My WMA is large enough to track, but one may accidently "drive" a buck to another hunter while doing so.  But, do give it a try....it is surely more like "real hunting" than sitting in a treestand for hours at a time!

[BackWoods Hunter]

I will be trying my hand at tracking for the first time this season. Bring on the snow!

[Terry]

It's my favorite way to hunt and I take advantage of any chance I have to do it.

If deer bed on the property you hunt, you have a chance. The difference on smaller tracks of land is you have to monopolize on the first encounter or else you will push the deer off that property. You wont have the opportunity to jump him over and over again.

The way I do it is to track really slow and with the wind in your favor. If you spook him the game is over. Basically it's still hunting while following a track. And make sure your ready for a quick shot.

It isn't easy, but it is by far the most rewarding method to kill a deer.

[PREDATE]

If there's snow on the ground, I'm on a trail or at least creeping through the woods/thickets.

 

Deer don't always just b-line straight away, they know and utilize the terrain much better than us. They'll often hit a saddle or creek bed and try to loop back.

Be sure to scan 360 and not just straight ahead. I've walked right past bedded bucks 30 yds away that would have went unnoticed if I hadn't looked over my shoulder.

Edited November 23, 2013 by PREDATE

[bowslinger]

i still hunt and track some in the state lands got a few deer still hunting there

[NFA-ADK]

I think my tracking last year helped on dry ground this year that's for sure.  This is one of the most exciting ways to hunt.  Many of my encounters where from tracking the day before and then setting up an ambush the next day.  The ambush was set up perfect many times yet I still seemed to miss, drove me nuts!  Then I started to shoot my gun a lot!  Helped my hunting big time!  But running down a buck is still a goal I have yet to achieve.  Loved reading about your track job Joe!  http://www.nyantler-outdoors.com/servello-buck.html  Awesome story and amazing Buck!

 

One thing is for sure, getting on a big track is adrenaline filled, heart pumping anticipation, nothing like it!   

[bushnell]

This is one thing that I never did. As others have mentioned you seem to run onto a neighboring property where you don't have permission. I wish you all the best of luck the rest of the season. I wish I could travel north and hunt again this weekend. I am already looking forward to next year.