how to tell size from track size?

[twoSevenO]

Decided to go try for some grouse today. Drove out to a spot in chilliwack, parked the truck and went for a hike. Walked around a nice cut block, just on the edge of the forest around 7:45-ish. Saw nothing moving around, except for two grouse that jumped up and scared the crap out of me, and flew off crazy fast.
Saw lots of tracks around, one track that looked a bit bigger then the rest. Is there a "guideline" to guesstimate how big this animal is? Or is it just based on experience? because i haven't a clue...

http://i24.tinypic.com/2jd0rkh.jpg

but anyways, back to the question at hand. What is "grouse terrain"? I think i've been walking in lots of deer territory lately (forested areas, on edges of cut blocks), and haven't seen many grouse. Havent seen a single grouse just drivin on the FSR like everyone says i should see. The few that i did see in the forest all waited until i almost stepped on them before flying off (which makes for hard shootin with a .22 LOL). I've gone for walks on old deactivated roads which seemed nice. Overgrown, but not too thick, yet not many grouse.

What are some tips for more grouse? Should i be focusing on what they eat, and hit areas where the stuff grows, whatever it is ... or anything like that?

[Dirty]

There is so much activity with yahoos shooting guns, riding motorbikes and quads in the Chilliwack area that is not even worth it to look for grouse. In addition, if you think about it we had a very wet spring this year. So bad year for reproduction + lots of activity = bad grouse hunting. I can count the number of grouse on my hands that I have seen in 6-7 years of hiking and exploring around Chilliwack.

[Steeleco]

I was walking a game trail I found yesterday above Jones lake. Thick stuff, I spotted a grouse just after it spotted me. Gone like yesterdays dinner!!! I've never had too much luck in the Fraser valley with ditch chickens. Just up the Coq on both sides is where I see plenty.

As far as finding them away from the road, that's when heart attacks happen!! Their main food IIRC is bugs, they come to the roads to pick up small rocks to fill their crops that help grind said food.

[bsa30-06]

The area i hunt usually has lots of them, i see them along the edge of the road all the time,but this year the numbers have definately been down and almost all the birds i did see were small.I also noted that they seemed to be very spooked, they didnt stick around very long.

[Will]

Saw lots of tracks around, one track that looked a bit bigger then the rest. Is there a "guideline" to guesstimate how big this animal is? Or is it just based on experience? because i haven't a clue...
Well if that's a 270 shell then it's a Big Deer..............:o
:lol:
Actually I don't get too worked up over tracks....but generally yes, the bigger the track the bigger the deer:wink:

And try for grouse early mornings....sunny spots along roadsides, if they are there you will see them here:grin:

[Dirty]

Actually I don't get too worked up over tracks....but generally yes, the bigger the track the bigger the deer

I agree. You can't eat tracks!

[twoSevenO]

hmmmm ... perhaps it IS more a lack of grouse then a lack of hunting skills lol. Yeah, the Coq is definitely a nice area to hunt, visited 8-05 last week and had a blast, but it's pricey for a day trip, with the gas and $20 for the toll. Sooo who wants to share the cost?? :D :D :D

thanks on the chicken advice.

[twoSevenO]

Well if that's a 270 shell then it's a Big Deer..............:o
:lol:


I wish :lol:

[Jetboater]

I think the first step is to find a fresh track, as that one is pretty weather worn...

[Fisher-Dude]

The other thing to look for in tracks is the stride length. If the deer is walking, and has a long stride as compared to other tracks in the area, it will be a larger animal.

[NightOwl74]

Bucks in particular will produce a secretion between the hooves. If you are tracking in snow it can be seen sometimes as a brownish stain in the snow. The track in your pic is old. It is difficult to tell the sex of a deer track on hard frozen ground. Look for soft soil or snow and the bucks can be determined by a dragging impression left behind the footprint. I love tracking deer in a few fresh inches of snow..........and I mean it has to be fresh or you're wasting yer time. The deer's movements are left behind, frozen in time....and it's our job to uncover their movements by what we see. This time of year look for the grouse above 1000 meters. Anyway, that's the Kelowna area.

[twoSevenO]

Bucks in particular will produce a secretion between the hooves. If you are tracking in snow it can be seen sometimes as a brownish stain in the snow. The track in your pic is old. It is difficult to tell the sex of a deer track on hard frozen ground. Look for soft soil or snow and the bucks can be determined by a dragging impression left behind the footprint. I love tracking deer in a few fresh inches of snow..........and I mean it has to be fresh or you're wasting yer time. The deer's movements are left behind, frozen in time....and it's our job to uncover their movements by what we see. This time of year look for the grouse above 1000 meters. Anyway, that's the Kelowna area.

thanks for the good advice, didn't know about the secretion in the hooves. And yeah, i'm aware the track is fossilized lol, but that's ok, as i wasn't after the deer that day anyways, just ran accross it and looked kind of big.

so the bucks will leave a "drag" mark, kind of like they're not lifting their hooves far enough? Whereas the does will not?

Cheers :)

[Spitzer]

There are many myths and inaccuracy's when tracking deer, especially when differentiating bucks from does.

For example,

Myth 1: Big tracks equal bucks;

This is not always the case, females occasionally have big hooves, just like human females have big feet. Also, sometimes a big doe will travel alone.

Myth 2:Bucks drag their front "feet" in the snow;

Not always true, I've watched single does walk by, dragging their front hooves. Dragging hooves indicates fatigue. Same goes for humans.


The most accurate and fastest way to tell the sex and maturity of a diaganol walker (deer, moose, elk, etc.) is by measuring "straddle widths".

"Straddle" is the "outside" measurement of the front, or rear tracks. Determining sex and maturity by this method only takes a glance, and is 100% accurate, unlike other methods.

"Mature" males are broader in front quarters than the rear quarters, which means the straddle of the front hooves will be wider than the rear in a mature male. The opposite is true for "mature" females.

Immature deer etc. will average the same measurement from front to rear straddles, but males will tend to stray a little wider on the front now and then. Opposite is true of females.

So when tracking deer etc. you must determine left and right sides of the animal in an "average" walking gait.

If the front tracks are wider than the rear it is a male. The opposite is true of females.

If you find tracks of a "mature" buck, and the straddle is wide in the front, and tracks are deep/heavy you got yourself a big buck. For estimating antler spread you must track him until his goes through some brush, then you can see how wide where the snow fell off, or needles, or rubs by some branches and scuffs or breaks them. Rubs are also a good indicator to antler size.

Happy tracking.:smile:

[sparkes3]

dont pay the toll go around the back way its on the backroads mapbook.

[BCJunior]

If that was a 270 shell id pass out :P

[Will]

Only 100% way to tell what made that track is to find the deer standing in it.......:wink:

[BCJunior]

Only 100% way to tell what made that track is to find the deer standing in it.......:wink:


Haha definitly, you may be able to do it because you are lurking behind a bush in reg 3 :wink:

[ROY-alty33]

If that was a 270, I'm callin in sick all week and spendin the rest of the week up the road in the CWCK river valley. Spent the morning between on the back raod between cultus and tamahi.. no grouse no deer no bear, I hate being skunked in NOV. Its goin to be one of those years.
And to add insult to injury a nice little buck on the roof of a Blazer while goin through the Timmies drive thru on the way home:mad: