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[alan]

if you see deer tracks in the woods can you tell them apart if they are male,female or if they was running or not??

[Alpine_Archer]

After some time in the woods you can tell the freshness of the track and how big the animal was in relation to hoof size. You should be able to tell a slow walking track( which is hardly noticable) from a fast gallop track( which is much more defined with kicked up debri in the reverse direction of the track). Early morning fresher tracks will not have dew drops on them.

Again hope this helps, here's a chart i found a while back the size might vary a little to the size of deer in your area. Lots of practice and paying close attention in the woods. Try to go slow and observe at first and you'll notice the differenaces in tracks such as direction , freshness, and animal sex.

[saskie]

Size is the best indicator of buck vs doe. Also the width of the to tracks gives an idea of body width. If the left and right prints are nearly on top of each other its a small chested deer and probably a doe or at best a yearling buck.

Remember that bucks have headgear - so keeping that in mind, (and that these are generalisations not absolutes) following them through the brush a while might give you some more clues such as:

(I'm used to hunting in snow so bear with me if it doesn't apply to you)

did it slightly side-step a low hanging branch or tree = probably a buck

Is it by itself - better chance that it's a buck. If there's one or two other sets with, more likely its a doe with yearlings or fawns still with her.

did it walk straight through a tangle or blowdown that would snag on antlers = probably a doe

if crawled under something = doe/fawn

If it stopped to feed at something on the ground, look for antler prints in the snow. If there's none, its a small racked buck at best.

I know not many buy this, but if there's a little snow (less than ankle deep) and it's dragging its feet to me that means a buck. Take it for what its worth cuz I can promise you a healthy argument if you bring that up in deer camp.

[Tndeerhunter]

I also have found that a running deer will many times show a splayed track as well, one that's spread more in the front side, than rear, from digging in as they run. In snow, the snow will be kicked up and forward, in the direction of travel. In mud age can sometimes be figured by how much water (if any) has seeped back into a track. In other words, a single track on a muddy trail that has little or no water in it, is likely very new (compared to other water filled tracks), and one that shows the hooves splayed likely shows a spooked or running deer. Tracks from a running deer are also much further apart, of course.

[TURBO_TEC]

I know not many buy this, but if there's a little snow (less than ankle deep) and it's dragging its feet to me that means a buck. Take it for what its worth cuz I can promise you a healthy argument if you bring that up in deer camp.

I do believe this theory and have gone by this for many years from my Grandfather that hunted in the 50's when we had alot of snow in the month of November..... BELEIVE IT ...
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In mud age can sometimes be figured by how much water (if any) has seeped back into a track.

i do go by this thinking when tracking Bucks and want to decide whether to pursue that track.... what I look at is when there is snow involved is , is the water/mud by the track that stays on top of the snow and if not has it Melted or sunken into the snow verses the other pieces of debris around the track ....

and then it's game on .....