Tracking

[freedom]

Tried my hand at tracking this morning after several hours I think I found deer tracks, but not sure. Comment please to see if I am right.

[NickB]

Looks like you've tracked down a couple of fun guys!:rolleyes:
Are you sure you've put up the right pictures?

[freedom]

9116911791189119

Finally the right pictures, sorry about that

[Bushwhacker]

Pics one and two look like deer slots. Not mega clear though or any sense of scale so couldn't tell you much more about them. Also make sure there are no sheep about, could just as easily be that too.

Pics three and four look like badger runs, although not knowing the area, could also be man made if it's a popular spot..

[freedom]

Pics one and two look like deer slots. Not mega clear though or any sense of scale so couldn't tell you much more about them. Also make sure there are no sheep about, could just as easily be that too.

Pics three and four look like badger runs, although not knowing the area, could also be man made if it's a popular spot..

Hi Bushwhacker,
Thanks for your comments, I was in this area for approximately four hours looking for signs of a Deer. I dont see any sheep but you could be right and the track (pic 1 and 2) I find were found in pic 3. Pic 4 was a run I found in clearing I folllowed it and carried on into a very swampy part of the wood, which I am ashamed to say I dont follow all the way.
Regards,
Phil

[snowleopard]

T^

[shepherd]

for deer, on a clear track it will look like a sheep track but look closely for 2 small 'dot like' indentations behind each toe. - hard to see unless its very clear track.. but thats def dear apposed to sheep

[Bushwhacker]

for deer, on a clear track it will look like a sheep track but look closely for 2 small 'dot like' indentations behind each toe. - hard to see unless its very clear track.. but thats def dear apposed to sheep

That's correct, but you'll only see the dew claws impressions in very soft substrate, so it's not the best indicator.

Best option is to start with terrain - Initially, look for cover and browse lines - you can see this from a good distance.

Then look (zoom in) a bit closer for scrapes and couches - either clear patches of leaf litter or flattening of long grass - bark removal from trees, 'roe rings' - circles of trodden ground around a tree or small bush.

Then look for smaller things - droppings, shed antlers, evidence of shoots/leaves/grass being nibbled, tracks, moulted hairs.

[shepherd]

T^ good shout bushwhacker..... also if you are familier with an area of woodland look for ivy... make a mental note of where it is and keep an eye out to see if large areas disappear ... deer love ivy.

[Mouse040]

Can I ask where in comparison to the tracks you found your track ie on a run or not and was this the only track you found as I'm looking at two shots of the same track if I'm not mistaken

From the track there should of been a lot more quite close as the print indicates the animal as either stationary at the time of indent or moving at low speed maybe grazing this would make it equal as it is across front and back , also the clear spacing between the front toes indicates the animal was in the head down position which naturally puts force on the tendons and spreads he toes

So in short there should be a number of tracks nearby and a track leading in and away which will change in shape and usually deeper at the front

Or indeed as bw has said check for grazing sheep or wild goat

[Mouse040]

Thought I'd add Some pics for your comparison
9254
This shows the dew claw as shepherd mentioned but its rare to find a print with a show of one
9255
This shows the layout of moving deer note the overlap of front and rear
9256
As above
9257
Overlapped track this often distorts the track making people believe you are tracking a bigger animal than you are

I hope this helps and I'm not high jacking