TRACK SIZE?

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?
9,602
Default Avatar
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.

My 2 cents...
18
BONER
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.
18
kaibabhunter
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.
18
Default Avatar
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.
18
Default Avatar
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.
18
Default Avatar
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/ee127/splittherapy/?action=view&current=P1170002_1.jpg
http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/splittherapy/?=view&current=P1170001_1.jpg
18
Default Avatar
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.
18
Default Avatar
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!
18
BONER
"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=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/2460316350_55be95f112.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/overboard/2460316350/&h=500&w=375&sz=219&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=py0-Avdb8q2dyM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbuck%2Btrack%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den">http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/2460316350_55be95f112.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/overboard/2460316350/&h=500&w=375&sz=219&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=py0-Avdb8q2dyM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbuck%2Btrack%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den


Or this one
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2201344335_cb33af0246.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/rockfarmer/2201344335/&h=375&w=500&sz=91&hl=en&start=27&tbnid=qFt6TtayxKzBGM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bbuck%2Btrack%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN">http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2201344335_cb33af0246.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/rockfarmer/2201344335/&h=375&w=500&sz=91&hl=en&start=27&tbnid=qFt6TtayxKzBGM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bbuck%2Btrack%26start%3D20%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
18
bigbuck92
and this. Sorry you cant see it to good but i took this pic yesterday after this buck busted me. He was a way nice buck to.
22
Default Avatar
Good photos Boner!
18
Default Avatar
So heel points are Muley bucks? Elk bulls have no heel points?
18
Default Avatar
When I see a big track I look to see how long it is and how pointed it is. In sandy rocky areas it will be rounded and have chips out of it if the animal is old. I also will follow the track to see how the animal walks, which is more important than size. If it's a big track but the rear foot comes down slightly outside the front and overlaps, it's a huge old doe. Hips being wider than the shoulders. A doe will be heavier in the rear and the rear track will be a little deeper usually. A buck will be wider through the shoulders so his rear track will be inside the front and (as rut approaches especially) the front hoof will sink deeper than the rear. If the rear foot is nearly a mirror of the front he is young and not very long bodied yet. If the rear foot lands halfway back or further from the front he's older and longer bodied. Also as they get older the back sways which affects the angle of the hips so he can't bring the feet as far forward and he's probably getting stiff from arthritis too. Just some things I've noted over the years. Hope this helps.
God bless.
Mark
18
Default Avatar
"m gardner" wrote: Just some things I've noted over the years. Hope this helps.
 Every little bit does :thumb =D> That was quite a bit!
Thanks! :)
18
Default Avatar
heck i might even look like i know what im doin now. thanks guys :not-worthy
18
Default Avatar
Here's a decent track I ran into in southern Utah. That is a 30-06 cartidge.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v641/legacy1/TRACK.jpg" alt="" />
18
MuleyMadness
Nice pic Legacy,

Here is a pretty good track also.
18
Default Avatar
Most big buck Tracks around here are alot more Blunt toed but neat pic none the less :thumb
18