How To Read And Understanding Deer Trails?

Hopefully I can give you some pointers that will help make your hunting season more successful. Especially for those of you that are just getting into Whitetail hunting. I have found over the many years of Deer hunting the following and I will explain each briefly; Buck and Doe trails, Buck Rubs, Buck Scraps, Community Scraps, and the Spoke Wheel. Where to place your Deer Stand.

Are There Both Buck and Doe Trails?

The Doe trails are the more heavily used trails and are found easily. However, look to the side by 5 to 10 yards for a much lighter used trail, this will be your buck trail. In many cases, not always, the Bucks will not use the same trails as the Doe and fawns. However, when the rut is on, all bets are off!

How to Find Buck Rubs?

Buck Rubs tell you many things; you just need to understand how to read them. Typical rubs are on small trees (2 to 4 inches in diameter) and brush. However I have also seen rubs on wooden fence post and trees 10 inches in diameter. The larger the tree and higher the rub, the more mature the buck, and of course the larger the rack. Typical trees used are; Pine, Birch, and Popular.

These rubs also mark the Buck’s primary area and may indicate the buck’s travel path from its bedding area to its food or water source. This would be a good area to hunt before the rut starts.

How To Find A Buck’s Scrap Line?

Buck scraps are areas (typically in the shape of a circle) on the ground where the buck has scraped away all the vegetation. These scraps mark the buck’s territory and are typically under low hanging branches. The tips of these branches may be broken due to the buck’s antlers hitting during the scraping process. The buck will then urinate on the scrap, leaving his scent. This scent will attract the Doe, which will also urinate on the scrap, leaving a scent and creating a trail for the buck to find. Scraps are not as easy to hunt since I have found them to be made and used during night hours, rather than during the daylight hours. However, once you find one, start looking for more, the distance between them will vary. Once you have found several visually see the pattern he is taking and position your stand accordingly.

What Is A Buck Community Scrap?

The community Scrap is a ground scrap that is used by more than one Buck. Yes, multiple bucks using the same scrap. This scrap will be very large, 2 to 3 times that of a normal Buck scrap. It does not tell you anything about the size of the buck; you will need to study the Buck Rubs for that.

What Is The Whitetail Deer Spoke Wheel?

The spoke wheel is hard to recognize until you find your first one, but is one of the best areas to focus on. You will definitely see more deer hunting over a spoke wheel than any other deer trail or sign. So what is a Whitetail Spoke Wheel? It’s a large set of Deer Trails that converge in one area and cross each other, thus its name for spoke wheel. The spoke wheel will consist of 4, 5, 6 or even more deer trails, crossing each other within a ten to twenty yard radius. The two we have in our woods have 6 & 7 different trails crossing, where we have positioned our stands on the Northeast side of.