Deer sign primer: Interpreting rubs, scrapes, tracks & droppings will boost your chances at a big white-tailed buck

TRAILS

Deer travel routes are dictated by whatever their favourite food sources are, which can change from one year to the next, especially in farmland where crops are frequently rotated. When travelling from their daybed hideout to their preferred feeding spot in the evening, deer always choose the path of least resistance and remain as concealed as possible. The same applies when they return in the morning. To find signs of daytime deer trails, scout the likes of forested ravines, the perimeters of beaver ponds, below beaver dams, mature pine plantations, and agricultural drainage ditches that are overgrown with willows or sumacs.

Once you know what route deer are taking between their bedding and feeding areas, study the landscape to find pinch points in the terrain to intercept them. Manmade barriers such as farm fences and hedgerows can also funnel deer movement. And don’t ignore smaller woodlots during the rut, especially in farmland. What might appear to be too small to conceal a big buck could make for the perfect hideout for a doe in heat and her crowned suitor.

In the prairies in particular, make note of areas where the elevation changes, such as river-carved ravines meandering through grasslands. Deer will feed, drink, rub, scrape and bed down in these sheltered valleys, which are largely hidden and offer a natural windbreak in the otherwise vast expanse.

Note that most major deer trails are primarily made and used by does and fawns. Bucks prefer the security of more secretive routes during the pre- and post-rut, so look for less-worn secondary trails that typically run parallel to the main runways, 30 or 40 yards away. These subtle travel routes should have rubs and scrapes along them to verify they’re being used by a buck. The exception to this is during the rut, when hormone-charged bucks will eagerly check any area where does are active, including primary game trails.