Foot Prints
It seems so obvious, but foot prints are the number one key knowing if deer are in the area. Not only will it help you know deer are there, but even the size of the print will help you gage if they are most likely doe or even better, bucks.
Beddings
We all have to sleep, deer usually sleep together and what you will see in the tall grass is an area pressed down. A deer will sleep in his/her spot and over time this grass becomes compressed, creating a "bedding area".
Trails
Trails are exactly what they sound like. They are deer trails. Paths that the deer travel on constantly. They are worn down to minimal grass or mostly dirt and they are sure signs that a deer travels through this area.
Droppings/Urine
Droppings and urine are another way to see if deer are in the area. The easiest to find is droppings. They are just a pile of round balls that are seen around the field but easiest to find near the trails. Urine on the other hand is harder to find, however, it's best seen in the winter when the urine is either frozen or there is snow on the ground with a yellow color surrounding the melted snow.
Rubs/Scrapes
Rubs and scrapes are the BEST signs for deer hunting if you're looking for bucks. They usually happen during the time of rut, but i'll talk about that in a future post. For now just know that rubs are where branches are either broke or where the bark has been pealed off the tree or branch. Scrapes are where a buck has cleared a spot on the ground, revealing dirt. You can usually see foot prints near these spots.
Creek Crossings/Field Crossings
Both creek and field crossings are the ideal spots where deer either cross a creek or enter a field. If bow hunting try to stay close to these areas because you're more likely to see a deer enter through this area. Creek crossing work best for bow hunters since you're more capable of shooting arrows in brush. If you're rifle hunting, i'd suggest you find those entry points for a field and cover that spot from a distance. You're biggest strength is being able to mask your scent over the distance of the field you're hunting.
Blood
Lastly blood, when a deer has been shot, blood is obviously leaving their body. When they move they create blood trails, this not only helps you find the deer after you shot it, but also helps other hunters know deer are in the area. Another blood sign is a huge pool of blood. This is a spot where a deer has been gutted and cleaned before being taken out of the field. Same as before, this tells hunters deer are in the area. However, be warned, this could also be a sign that deer are more cautious and that they are avoiding that area. Vice Versa though, deer are curious and they may go check out what happened there. Seeing blood is not necessarily a bad thing but do know anything could happen.
A helpful tip if you see any or all these signs. Do you're best not to disturb the area. Deer are VERY cautious animals and your sent will turn them away and you won't ever see a deer. Moreover, another helpful tip is that all these signs help you gage time. Did it just rain and those foot prints are fresh? Or are they dried up and crusted from weeks ago? Is that blood fresh from the morning and you're hunting at night? Did it just snow and there is melted snow with a yellow coloring around it? All these signs are sure fire ways to tell you deer are in the area AND how long ago they were there.
Here is a helpful test to show you not only what each of these signs look like, but get you use to noticing them out in the field. Most of these are obvious but you may not have realized what each sign looks like until you see a picture of each. Match up these words to their pictures. The answers will be posted at the bottom of the blog.
A: Foot Prints
B: Bedding
C: Trail
D: Urine
E: Droppings
F: Rubs
G: Scrapes
H: Creek Crossing
I: Field Crossing
J: Blood
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
A: 3
B: 9
C: 1
D: 5
E: 8
F: 6
G: 10
H: 4
I: 7
J: 2
