TRACK SIZE?

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dumbluck
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TRACK SIZE?

Post by dumbluck » Fri Aug 15, 2008 3:13 pm

BEEN SCOUTING WATERHOLES AND THIS OLD DRY LAKE BED, LOTS OF SIGHN BUT IM NOT REAL SURE WHAT A GOOD BUCKS TRACK WOULD BE. FOUND A FEW REALLY BIG TRACKS. 3 1/2 TO 4 INCHES AND ALMOST 2 1/2 WIDE. ANY HELP ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR?

Bowtech43
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by Bowtech43 » Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:49 pm

It sounds like you found a big boy. That's about as big as I've seen them, and when they get really heavy the front of the hoof starts to widen apart to redistribute the weight. Now go and let the air out of him.

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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by BONER » Sun Aug 17, 2008 8:40 pm

All I have ever heard is that if a 7mm or 270 shell fits inside it, it can be a big buck.
Be careful how much mud was mushed around in the track though, mud or really soft dirt can make tracks look lots bigger. :thumb 4 inches sounds huge to me.
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kaibabhunter
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by kaibabhunter » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:52 pm

I tried to meet the owner of a big 3 1/2" + track a couple years ago (never found him) - but you could just tell that he was a big boy. No other track around came close to his. I put a stalk on a mature 27" 4x4 buck during the same hunt and his tracks weren't anywhere near the size of the big set. When the hunt comes around and if his tracks are fresh I'd give that area a few days to try and find him, that's just me.

dumbluck
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by dumbluck » Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:30 pm

thanks for the help guys. im used to seein scrawny texas whitetail tracks, so they all look big to me. it has been really wet in NM this year but the tracks were on pretty firm soil. and nothing else in that area was that large.

Mike Honcho
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by Mike Honcho » Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:55 pm

I've never measured them but like somone else said; when they get big the front of the hoof starts to spread apart. Also as they get older the point at the front of the hoof starts to round off a little and the heavy bucks will leave the dew claw imprint as well. It can be tricky to tell if it's a track that was left while it was wet and muddy because they will always appear larger then they really are. JMO.
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by WillysDad » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:09 pm

I jumped this buck over the summer while mtn.biking. He was in velvet and looked to be a 4X4. I didn't get a picture of the deer but ran back and took a picture of these tracks. I wear a size 12 EEEE.
http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee12 ... 0002_1.jpg
http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee12 ... 0001_1.jpg
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by Bowtech43 » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:18 pm

That looks like elk to me. Typically big bucks will leave two sort of round prints just at the rear of the print due to the weight of their bodies I guess. But I don't see those on doe tracks.
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by WillysDad » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:28 pm

Right on! I'll have to scout that area a little but more for elk. I thought the deer I saw made those. He was about as big a whitetail I've ever seen!
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Re: TRACK SIZE?

Post by BONER » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:11 pm

Bowtech43 wrote:That looks like elk to me. Typically big bucks will leave two sort of round prints just at the rear of the print due to the weight of their bodies I guess. But I don't see those on doe tracks.
exactly, much like this one.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... %26hl%3Den


Or this one
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... n%26sa%3DN
"GOD, GUNS, & GUTS made America - Lets keep all three!"

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