Tracking/scouting question

[jeg0005]

I live in central AL and was out scouting today and saw tons of tracks in pine straw. I got to thinking how helpful it would be to be able to tell direction. Now, I lack this skill so I'm hoping someone on here can help. The picture below is an example. I came across these tracks that were going perpendicular to my path. Is there anyone on here that can tell me which way the deer was traveling based off of the way the track or pine straw skews?

 

[jeg0005]

It doesn't look like the pic posted, let me try again

 

[jeg0005]

 

[UKwildcatfan]

How about raking the straw back and checking on it in a week or so?

 

[plebe]

Deer is traveling in the direction of the arrow (made by hoofs) when walking, and the reverse when running (toes splayed).

Looks like from your left to right (but I couldn’t even say they’re deer tracks from that pic, lol).

Look at what’s been kicked up and what hasn’t been disturbed. You can also feel inside the track.

 

[Rich M]

Pointy end is to the front/forward.

 

[jeg0005]

How about raking the straw back and checking on it in a week or so?

I'll give that a try next time!

 

[jeg0005]

Deer is traveling in the direction of the arrow (made by hoofs) when walking, and the reverse when running (toes splayed).

Looks like from your left to right (but I couldn’t even say they’re deer tracks from that pic, lol).

Look at what’s been kicked up and what hasn’t been disturbed. You can also feel inside the track.

I guess I should clarify, I can tell the direction when there is a clean track. But in the thick pine straw all you really are a bunch of holes in the straw

 

[Wolfshead]

Typically if you can get at least a track or two they can give you direction.
The picture you’ve shown looks like there has been many deer through so they could be going many directions and milling around.
Hard to tell from it.
One thing to look at is the front may be deeper than the back. The points into the ground lower than the back round part.
One thing you can do is walk a circle, slowly expanding, around the spot with the tracks, and try to see if you can find any tracks entering or exiting the spot.
Go slow and look closely as any track could be subtle.
Also don’t just look at tracks. Look for browse sign or droppings, and other things that the deer has left as sign.

 

[jdl25]

I hope I'm not overstepping here. You may be overthinking this. Deer tracks are great. That means you have deer where you are hunting. A group of feeding or browsing does in the woods will often move in every direction watching over each other's backs and whatnot. This time of year their patterns don't mean too much. What I would do if I was hunting a new spot would be to determine the potential food sources (during the hunting season) and set up on those or between those sources and the bedding areas. I usually save my most interior hunting spots for pre rut activity. Your hunting spot and deer may be different than where I hunt and I get that. I have found that the first few times I hunt a stand are the best and I hate to burn those before the big bucks are moving. Hope this made sense. One good thing is that you are scouting and that always helps in the off season.

 

[Honyock]

Put up a trail camera. It will not only tell you which way they are traveling but also what it is (doe, spike, big buck). Trail cameras around a food source will give you more information on the number and quality of deer in an area than scouting and hunting ever will. Before someone goes down the anti-trail cam road, I use them for inventory and management on my farm with pictures dumped every 24 hours. I'm not sitting in my truck waiting for a camera to go off and running to a camera when a buck shows up. I'm too old and that's not hunting. It's a lot easier to quit shooting "decent" bucks when you know that there are big bucks in the area. You will probably be shocked to see what's actually moving through your hunting area.