Identifying fresh track..... Still hunting.

[zeus1gdsm]

So I don't know how to identify a fresh track other than whether or not it was there earlier.... And if the track itself is soft or hard... But in wet ground the tracks stay soft for quite a while...... Any pointers?

Also still hunting would be great in this snow. But the woods I am in are thick with only 10-15 yard visibility with all the brush..... Even less with all the snow on the branches....... Is still hunting more for open woods with longer sight lines?

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[stoneam2006]

Best advice I can give you is every time you jump a deer or kill a deer go study their tracks. It's easiest in fresh snow but can be done in most conditions. The way the leaves flip over... water in the bottom of print...splash marks around there's alot of factors to tell it's fresh.

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[turkeyfeathers]

Widely spaced staggered tracks. flat footed and dewclaws should be a big buck. Hoof dragging in between tracks a buck but that may be hear say I heard long ago.  Freshly falling snow in the imprint you'll be able to judge how old the tracks are. If snow has icy under structure snow shouldn't be refrozen on the fresh tracks yet. Like stone said, you bump a deer ,check the prints. You could even send your dog out in the snow, look at tracks and then look a few more times after a half hour, hour to see how prints change. Glance at tracks every 10 feet or so and keep your head up as you may never see him if you jump him. He/she  should give you a quick few seconds to quick get a shot off but that maybe it.  This is my limited knowledge , hope it helps a little bit. I'll be watching this thread as all of our tracking experience compiled  should give everyone something new to learn.  Buckmaster7600 ought to have some great info as still hunting and tracking are his favorite. My experience on hardwoods I hunt are blow downs and fallen tree tops are huge for bedded deer to lay near. Blocks the wind, their silouttes etc.  Buddy and I jumped 3 of the biggest bucks we ever saw years ago smack dab in the middle of the hardwoods. All 3 were nestled up again fallen trees. Almost stepped on them. They jumped up and startled the heck out of us. No shot and we were in awe we both walked by them on either side real close. How many shot deer wrap around a tree trying to hide even when their already dead on their feet.

[Buckmaster7600]

Still hunting and tracking are things that are learned the hard way. You can read books, Hal bloods and the Benoits are the best but they will only give you a little direction. Try it and learn from your mistakes is the best way to learn. It's about the only way I have hunted for the last 15 years and I still suck at it.


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[brownclown]

you always hear to hunt the wind, Hunt the wind, Hunt the wind...But,  if you are hunting the wind and following tracks isn't it self defeating? typically the deer will be walking nose to the wind. So if your are following his tracks he will typically be down wind of you , right? your scent will be blowing right at him as your pursuing him. Are you just hoping to find and jump him while bedded?  Is there a minimum track size i should be concentrating on if looking for a "bigger buck"?

[moog5050]

Nose to wind would mean you are following from behind or downwind of the deer, but I recognize that deer go where they want regardless of wind direction so it would seem at times that you could be upwind of them.  From what I read, most trackers hope to catch up with the deer being tracked whether its bedded or still moving and get a shot.  Sam Potter (a member here for former member) knocked down a few big boys using this method, but I believe he had huge tracts of land to hunt in the ADK.  Where we hunt, it would be a quick track to the neighbors property line.  lol

[Buckmaster7600]

If you're tracking you can't worry about wind because it's out of you're control, still hunting I like to have the wind hitting me in the side and not in my face.


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[NFA-ADK]

Tracking in snow is the easy way to track and the most common.  When you do it often you can track in heavy rain or after a heavy rain as the tracks stay for a while in the leaves.  Not as easy as it is in snow but if you do it often enough snow will seem like cheating! 

For me this is the some of the best hunting when you get on a big buck track just because you know ahead is a big buck.  When looking for big buck tracks a few things always get me excited.  A big track!  Big bucks weigh more than big doe and sink in the ground much more with larger tracks and gait.  The shoulder width is also seen in the track and is a good indication of a larger buck.  While tracking take note of how they go between trees this can give an indication of rack size.  Big racked deer will go around small openings between trees. 

Tracking in snow:  Depending on conditions will tell you how old a track is.  I found a track this year that looked real fresh, well after a cough I found it was about 60 seconds fresh and the deer ran off.  The older a track is the more it will cave in or have the imprint fade away.  Like stated before much of this can be learned in books but to get a good grip on how old a track is the only thing that helps is experience. 

Larger bucks have tracks in the 3.5 inch or larger and tend to use the entire foot vs younger deer that walk on front part of foot.  Larger deer tend to have the hoof spread more than younger deer.  Large gait and spread shoulders are another good indication of a buck along with dragging their feet.  Bucks tend to walk in a straight line and are solo vs doe that meander and usually are in a group. 

Checking your own tracks is a good way to determine track age, along with any other tracks you may find.  EX: If a doe passes outside your back yard check her tracks, then recheck in one hour, then 4 hours etc.  Experience is your best teacher in this aspect due to weather changes and temperature.  You can do this with your dog or any animal you see in the area!

Best advice I could give is to do it often as possible, the more you do it the better experience you will have and the better you will become at identifying a fresh track. 

Be diligent in your observation!  If you find a big buck track take note of any imperfections, you will need this info when he comes into doe and you have to relocate where he went.

Keep looking forward and to both sides when tracking, the deer tend to hook after they eat and are ready to bed and regurgitate to eat again.

While this may be an easy way to find and locate bucks this is not an easy way to hunt and requires a keen observation and very good shooting skills along with vast amount of patience and skill at stalking.

While I am no expert on the subject it's one of my favorite ways to hunt when snow is present and favorite ways to gain data on the deer in the area.  No doubt tracking has improved my knowledge probably more than any other way of hunting!

Good luck, hope some of this helps.

[Buckstopshere]

Still hunting is a great way to hunt deer when the conditions are right, like this morning. Saw fresh tracks headed for a known bedded area. Big track and small tracks. Figured the deer had fed all night, no sense taking a stand as they would be bedded. Jumped this guy at 50 yards while I was peaking over a knoll about 8 am. Put two in his ribs.