This deer hoof was 4 inches long. It belonged to very mature Iowa doe, which field dressed at 175 pounds. The doe was harvested with a Ruger .44 mag handgun during a late season hunt.

Most youngsters “learn” early in their hunting career how to differentiate buck tracks from doe tracks. Or do they? Unfortunately many hoof related wives tales exist. Throughout the years these tales have lead a countless number of hunters including myself astray. Studying deer tracks can make you a better hunter and advanced deer track reading capability is an important tool to have when you are in pursuit of a big mature buck. If you would like to add another effective tool to your trophy-hunting arsenal, then the following paragraphs will help you get on the right “track.” (Pun Intended).

Drag marks and dewclaw prints in the snow

Twenty five years ago I read and article in a popular hunting magazine written by a popular outdoor writer that said only bucks leave hoof drag marks and dewclaw prints in the snow. The theory was that does “prance” meaning that they walk very daintily. Bucks on the other hand are lazy and expend as little effort as possible, which results in drag marks from their hooves. I believed it myself for a long time but several years ago I began to look closer at the tracks of deer that I had seen. Since then I’ve seen a countless number of does that have left hoof drag marks and dewclaw prints in the snow.

Big tracks

Big deer have big hooves and leave big tracks. Right? This is generally true but don’t take it to the bank just yet. I know several full-grown adult men that wear size 8 shoes. By the same token I know grade school kids that are wearing size 11s. The same is true with deer. It is also true that males generally have bigger feet than females and this statement is true with whitetail deer as well. As an example, in the Midwest, tracks that are longer than 3 ½ inches were probably made by a mature deer. If you find one 4 inches or longer, it is a sure bet that it belongs to a real brute. Correct?

The key to success in track identification

Take a garden rake to the woods and erase deer tracks on trails where moist, soft dirt will help to capture very distinctive prints. The soft earth in this ravine is a perfect place to view deer tracks and “fingerprint” the areas bucks.

To verify if the 4-inch track you found was made buy a monster buck check to see how deep the tracks are sunk into the ground compared to tracks in the same area that were made by other deer. If you find a 4-inch track that is sunk noticeable deeper into the earth than the surrounding tracks you may have found a big-bodied mature buck. Before you can be sure though, you will need to study the area closer.

Maybe the 4-inch track was left immediately after the last rain and the other tracks were left several days later after the ground dried and hardened? Using a garden rake clear the area of debris and erase all old tracks. Then, making sure you use the same scent elimination routine as you would for hunting, revisit the site at regular intervals and take notes of what you find. If the 4-inch tracks are consistently deeper than the others you have uncovered your first clue to the whereabouts of a mature buck. This tactic can be used along game trails, field edges or anywhere that deer travel or congregate.

Advanced track talk

An advanced hunting method that is gaining in popularity among serious trophy hunters is to “finger print” a specific bucks tracks. Deer hooves wear down, crack, chip and develop other distinctive characterizes. Each hoof eventually develops its very own finger print. This is especially true of old weathered adult bucks. By carefully studying deer tracks you will begin to recognize certain features that exist only on the specific deer you are interested in hunting. Studying deer tracks and becoming intimately familiar with the size and shape of each hoof on the trophy buck in your hunting area you can help you gain insight to his daily rituals that can eventually put you in position for a close encounter.

Lets imagine that you have located two different sets of 4-inch long hoof prints in the area you hunt. You have taken the time to erase the prints from the soft earth and watch them reappear several times. Each time one of the 4-inch sets pushes deeper into the earth than all other surrounding sets of tracks. You have also identified that this particular set leaves a small crease in the soft earth about ¾ of an inch from the tip. It is reasonable to believe that this is a mature buck worthy of your pursuit. It is now time to use your intimate knowledge of that individual set of deer “fingerprints” to backtrack the deer and see where he came from or maybe follow it forward and see where he is going. You can also look for his tracks on deer trails and creek crossings throughout your area to find other areas he frequents. Look at crossings along fences or property lines. Does this deer venture onto the neighbors land? Does he enter the food plot after dark from the east or west? Does this deer travel the main trail or is he using the faint trail along the ridge?

Fingerprinting a buck will give you the knowledge and confidence you need to help get into shooting range of that big mature buck! Deer tracks not only tell you where a bucks been, smart hunters will study them to help them determine where a buck is going to be!