Hello, friends! I sat down to finish this post last night and realized how long it has been since I have posted. This summer is doing 2 things – passing so quickly that I don’t realize how much time is flying, and dragging on until the next hunting season. This has really been such a busy summer that even leisurely fishing opportunities seem far and few between. Ahh, such is life. I guess it could be worse!

Moving on to the mention of hunting season – deer season is right around the corner for us [insert fist pump here]. Freezers are becoming empty, trigger fingers are getting itchy, and I cannot wait to get a chance to go check out our trail cams to see what we are working with this year. I do know that there are tons of does on the two main properties that I hunt, and they are looking mighty tasty in their herds of 10+ just casually walking across the paths. There. I said it.

Now, let’s see what else we should be looking for, in terms of deer sign, when you are scouting hunting areas before the season opens:

1. TRACKS – While this may seem obvious, it is important to know what you’re looking at when you come across deer tracks. Not only can they tell you the patterns of where the deer are traveling to and from (i.e. water sources, food sources, bedding areas, etc.), tracks are helpful in determining the age &/or gender of the deer. Also, younger deer tend to have pointier hooves, whereas older deer have hooves that are more worn and rounded at the top. Rounded tracks could also indicate a buck, as their hooves can wear down from scraping (more on that below).

These tracks were just under 3.5″

This deer was on the run, bounding across the field. How do I know? Running/bouncing deer will leave splayed hoof prints several feet apart. [The next one was about 4-5 feet away].

3. DROPPINGS – Believe it or not, deer poo can definitely help you when you’re scouting. It looks like little pellets From determining how big or small a deer is to how old tracks are, droppings are a useful indicator. Smaller droppings (and thus smaller piles) tend to mean fawns/yearlings or does, and larger clumps indicate a buck. It’s freshness can also help you determine how long ago a deer passed that way. Find a lot in one location? Look around – you could be near a bedding area. I actually found a chart to help you determine what the size of the pellets mean, but I am not exactly walking through the woods with a ruler, and I doubt you are either. Spoiler alert – a photo of deer poo is next. I’ll keep it small.

Deer urine is also a good indicator of whether you’re trailing a buck or a doe. I actually don’t have a photo of deer urine, nor do I have a sense of smell, so I don’t have much more to give you on that. Buck urine apparently smells very… distinct. No idea. Let’s move on.

4. SCRAPES & RUBS – No, they are not the same thing. A scrape is made when a buck, well, scrapes at the ground with his hooves to make a bare spot, and then marks his territory on the dirt. [I figured we’d had enough “urine” talk.] Bucks make scrapes to attract does, so leaving their scent behind is key. They will need to check back at their scrape to see if does have come a-sniffin.’ To really add to the odor, they’ll also rub their head & antlers on nearby branches or lick a low hanging limb directly above the scrape. The size of the scrape, as well as the smell, can help you determine what size buck was there, and how long it has been since he left.

A rub, on the other hand, is a mark made by a buck rubbing his antlers against a small tree, effectively rubbing off the bark/some of the wood. They have scent glands on the tops of their heads, so a rub is a good way for a buck to leave his scent behind and mark his territory. If you find a handful of rubs along a certain trail, odds are you’ve found a route between a buck’s bedding area and a frequented food source. In terms of determining the size of the buck behind the rub, higher rubs on bigger trees will indicate a larger buck, whereas lower rubs on little saplings will point to a younger/smaller buck.

Mature bucks tend to scrape and rub a fair amount more than yearling bucks, but they are used by bucks of any age. In fact, a single scrape can be used by more than a few bucks. You’ll see more scrape activity during the rut, especially right before it peaks, but they can be spotted within a few months surrounding the rut as well.

5. BEDDING AREAS – Last, but not least. Deer can choose any number of places to bed, so there isn’t really a cut and dry answer as to where you’ll find a bedding area. Whether they choose a spot in an overgrown field, hide in wooded thickets, or get comfy in an old riverbed, deer need to have a good bedding area. It’s where they spend most of their day, and provides a place for them to not only feel safe, but to relax and digest their food. Similar to how we feel about our own sofas and beds, right? The importance of actually finding a deer bedding area is making sure that, once you do, you can avoid it. Disturbing such an area can put undue pressure on deer, and they will likely move to a different area. In fact, they will often have several preferred sites for just that reason. It’s important to avoid bedding areas and keep a “sanctuary” for them on your property, so to speak. Otherwise, you just won’t have deer.

Well, that about sums it up! There you have it – the top 5 signs you should look for when scouting for deer. Remember, deer tend to be most active early in the morning, around daybreak, and around dusk. Aim to do your scouting in the middle of the day to avoid disturbing the deer as much as possible. Try to minimize your scent as much as you can, also. If you can smell them, they already smelled you. [Scouting after a heavy rain will help you on that front.]