Reading Deer Tracks

7

74camaroman

New member
My son was 10 years old and he wanted to go deer hunting with dad. Dad had him shooting the 22 since he was 8 so why not. My buddy and me and my son left home and arrived at my buddies father in laws house to pick him up on Wednesday night. We always spent the night at his Father in laws house and head for our deer area first thing in the morning. That night, after dinner we were sitting around the kitchen table going over a map of the area and how we would look for fresh signs, at this time my son asks, "How do you tell fresh signs for deer in the area?" We explained how to identify doe tracks from bucks tracks, how to tell how old the tracks are, and beds and fresh scat. The fresh scat had my son with another question. " How do you tell fresh scat?" Having answered ten thousand questions from him so far, I told him that you take a little piece and touch it to your tongue, if it burns your tongue it is fresh. We arrived at our hunting camp about noon and first thing was to set up our kitchen and cover it from the rain or hail which always happened to arrive sometime after we arrived. Opening day was Saturday and we arrived on Thursday before opening day. We always use the afternoon on Thursday to set up camp and check out the areas to hunt for fresh signs of deer in the area. My son was on a deer trail about 25 feet below the trail I was on, when he said, " Dad!! I found some fresh deer sh&t" I then asked him how he knew it was fresh? He replied" cause it burns my tongue!
I didn't have the heart to tell him that that way was just something I made up until several years ago, figured he wouldn't hit an old man. He is now 36 years old. I'm not proud of what I told him but everytime I think back to that day I get a chuckle. He still love me.:D:)
 
It's also good to rub a little on your chapped lips. Doesn't help the chap, but it will keep you from licking them.
 
lol and:barf: animal dung don't go near my mouth. i may poke at it with a stick. but taste it no way.
the oldest boy here wants to go hunting. i got the paperwork and the cd for him to study to take the test. he was into it for a few weeks then lost interest. that is until december 3rd when deer (gun) season started here. i took him and a few of his younger brothers to the range with me. 1 at a time though. i let them shoot my .22 and my 870 with light loads. the oldest boy well he got cocky and wanted to fire a load of buckshot. i told him ok i helped him hold it tight. and warned him it was gonna kick. he said ok i'm ready well he couldn't feel his left arm for a few hours after that shot. he has fun blasting empty shell boxes and clay target boxes at 30 yards with birdshot that is. and plinking at soda cans with the .22. i remember being the same way when i was 11. no buckshot for me please now i can't shoot enough of it, or slugs.
 
My old man told me almost the same thing. Told me you have to take a bite out of it. This was when we were out rebuilding our stands and he had a package of butterfinger bb's along with him... I learned quickly that that was't so..
 
Junior asked how i could tell old from new hog crap... I told him after many thousand piles I no longer needed the sniff test. Until that point get down on all fours and giver 'er a whiff! Then i booted him on thebutt and nose planted him...:rolleyes:
Brent
 
I always buy a package of Raisinettes when we have a new hunter in the group. I've yet to have one actually taste a faux deer turd, but I'll get a biter one day.
 
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