THE DEER

Articles In This Section:

· READING TRACKS

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 1

· TALES OF MASTER TRACKERS - Part 2

· HUMAN TRACKS

· BLAZING YOUR TRAIL

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 1

· TRAILING ANIMALS - Part 2

· ANIMAL FOOTPRINTS

· TRACES OF BIRDS

· OTHER MARKS OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS

· THE NATURAL HABITAT OF ANIMALS

· THE DEER

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 1

· THE ELK AND MOOSE - Part 2

· THE FOX

· THE RABBIT

· THE POLECAT

· THE PORCUPINE

· THE BADGER

· THE SQUIRREL

· MAKING PLASTER MOLDS OF TRACKS

Tracks:

Hoof print: 1/2 natural size.

Shape of Hoof: Oval, smaller than all other hoofed animals, 3/4 "- 1" long, 11/8"-11/2" wide. Dewclaws visible only in tracks while fleeing.

Droppings: Dark brown, longish acorn shape, up to 3/8" thick, 3/8 "-1/2" long, found in sparse woods and forest.

Feeding Grounds: Clearly visible in the winter as trough-shaped spots scraped through the snow in the woods. In the summer: spots dug through the leaves.

Traces on Trees: Strips of bark torn off between 20" and 35" from the ground.

Skull and Jaw:

2year-old buck

Antlers of the Buck: The buck deer drops his antlers in the late fall and, beginning in March (April is the high point for this), rubs the velvet off against young softwood trees. The bark is scraped off and branches are broken. In front of the tree you might also find spots where leaves and earth are thrown up and scraped to the rear.

Voice: Deep, loud bellow: "burr, burr, burr, burr" is the scolding of a frightened buck. A lighter, loud "boy, boy" is the doe's cry.