Deer Poop

[Morel]

How do you tell the age of blacktail deer poop in the pouring rain? While hunting on the weekend, I came across one spot with a lot of piles of deer poop but was unsure if it indicated that deer were in the area now or months ago. I have been doing a little internet research on determining the age of deer poop. Most of the advice is that fresh poop will be dark and shiny; older poop will be lighter in colour. Fine, dark and shiny indicates there is more moisture in the poop, however, if you come across a pile of nuggets in the bush after it has been raining constantly for the better part of a month everything in the bush is slightly dark and shiny from being wet. How can I tell what is really fresh meaning that deer are currently using the area?

[coach]

Pop it in your mouth. If it tastes like grass or leaves its quite fresh. If it tastes like shit, spit it out right away - it's old and the deer have likely left the area.

[The Silent Stalker]

They look more like raisins when they are fresh, seem to go more smooth oval shape after a bit. Plus, fresh are more sweet tasting as where the older they are, the more bland and dry inside. If its fresh, should melt like warm milkdud.

[300H&H]

Pop it in your mouth. If it tastes like grass or leaves its quite fresh. If it tastes like shit, spit it out right away - it's old and the deer have likely left the area.

OMG....thats the funnest thing Ive read in a long time.

[Morel]

OMG....thats the funnest thing Ive read in a long time.

Believe it or not, this was actually a serious question.

[300H&H]

Believe it or not, this was actually a serious question.

I can't tell if you are saying that with a straight face or not !?!

[Jagermeister]

Pop it in your mouth. If it tastes like grass or leaves its quite fresh. If it tastes like shit, spit it out right away - it's old and the deer have likely left the area.
And the NUMBER 1 ANSWER IS:
Pop it in your mouth. If it tastes like grass or leaves its quite fresh.
:mrgreen:

[RayHill]

I would go with. If you are in a spot that has lots of shit the deer were there at some point and they will be back. What I have seen is very small amounts on the trail and lots of big piles in feeding areas. I was in a spot last weekend where there was five piles within a five foot circle. You can tell if its fresh if it isn't mashed from rain or faded. Look for sign that you can age better like foot prints, scrapes and rubs. I like finding tracks with the deer in them, I know they are the freshest.

[bearguy]

Go with Rayhill's advice. Also note that the direction that you spit the poop out is most likely the direction the deer headed off to...... :)

[Sofa King]

if you actually witness it falling to the soft ground from the deer's ace-hole, then it's pretty fresh.

[hunter1947]

Break open a piece of the round pebble scats and it will have a very light color in it this is when it is fresh ,,if the scat is dark throughout the scats could be a month or so old....

[RayHill]

They look more like raisins when they are fresh, seem to go more smooth oval shape after a bit. Plus, fresh are more sweet tasting as where the older they are, the more bland and dry inside. If its fresh, should melt like warm milkdud.

You should poke the pile with a toothpick, if it comes out clean it is fresh and ready to eat.

[brian]

You should poke the pile with a toothpick, if it comes out clean it is fresh and ready to eat.
That one made me laugh.

Most of the advice is that fresh poop will be dark and shiny; older poop will be lighter in colour. Fine, dark and shiny indicates there is more moisture in the poop, however, if you come across a pile of nuggets in the bush after it has been raining constantly for the better part of a month everything in the bush is slightly dark and shiny from being wet.
Really smoking fresh scat has kind of an oily looking coating on it (sheen) which is different than simply being wet. It has a touch of iridescence that water doesn't have. That coating seems to vanish pretty quickly. If you see that, deer have been in the area very recently or are still there.

[Whonnock Boy]

Hmmm..... Surprised no one has mentioned this yet but, really fresh deer feces are green, or lime green. They darken with age, although contrary to what other posters have said, it doesn't taste any better after aging. Brian's description fits well too.

[ravensfoot]

I've seen the nuggets come out of a freshly dropped animal that are dark (during the gutting). I think the really fresh green ones might just be due to the diet, not the freshness. Think of how our diet can change our shite. If you decide not to pop them in your mouth, give it a little pinch between your fingers. Freshies (within the first couple of hours) will be very slippery and squishy mmmm. The older they get (the poops that is), the dryer and harder they get. Their diet will also play into how moist the shat is. Twig diet will be more dry and brown, grass and wet leaf diet, moist and greener. I've seen the tards a deep olive green, matching in color exactly to the lichen they've been eating that hangs from the trees.

Oh, Don't forget to lick your fingers clean after handling the shit, you wouldn't want to walk around with shitty smelling fingers.

[mr7mm]

step one load a sling shot aim carefully at base small tree when hit if splits and cracks ya know its old...........

[landphil]

If it falls outa the poop chute when you are gutting the animal its fairly fresh. Or slice the raisin open, and see how worn the chocolate coating is. Mmmm, glosset raisins.

[ActionJackson017]

Go with Rayhill's advice. Also note that the direction that you spit the poop out is most likely the direction the deer headed off to...... :)

Wait a second...

4227


:)

[pantsandbelt]

The deer are in the area if theres lots of poo because the deer live within a 2km radius for all there life. GOOD LUCK OUT THERE !!! :-D

[rides bike to work]

when i find a fresh pile i rub my boots in it to help cover my scent.

how long does poop last in the woods weeks months years.

[Morel]

Thanks to the folks who actually took a question from a new hunter seriously and provided some useful advice. For those of you who thought it would be funny to see a newbie eat deer poop, perhaps you can take your own advice and eat ......

[pickle88]

well what i do is pick it up and break it open. if its still moist all thru it then its qiuet fresh.it will have some greenish black colour as well.
and if its still warm ,well then you no its really fresh.

[Jelvis]

Lighter green color and waxy looking are fresh, the darker they are and dryer looking, not wet looking but dried and cracked a bit are old. In between is a day older than the light green and waxy looking dung, the lighter green ones are fresh and if there rolling watch out! :-D

[hunter1947]

Next time you see a deer take a poop go over there and check it out..

[coach]

Thanks to the folks who actually took a question from a new hunter seriously and provided some useful advice. For those of you who thought it would be funny to see a newbie eat deer poop, perhaps you can take your own advice and eat ......


Lighten up, Francis: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=0OnpkDWbeJs&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0OnpkDWbeJs

Rayhill gave you the best advice in post #8. Even deer shit that's a few days old lets you know you're in an area that see frequent. Look for other signs - such as tracks, beds, etc. most importantly - move slowly and spend more time with your eyes looking up instead of down at the ground. Once you spook a deer out of the area your chances of spotting him again are greatly reduced.

[Glenny]

Look under it. If the grass or ground is discoloured from it it's been there a while. Poops not always green when fresh. I have found much dark deer poop (fresh) when they've been in the just cut areas feeding on fir buds.

[The Dude]

Coach: perfect vid for this thread. LMAO

Anyway, Shroom, fresh crap has a slime on, like was said above. Old crap gets a freckled look to it, and even if it's raining, it will crumble inside when you crush it.
A new one is black or VERY dark green, has a slight slime coating, and you can squeeze like a fresh haggis.
And, yes, it may sound silly, but sooner or later you will observe a deer take a dump. When it's done, go look at it, and pick it up. I'm not kidding.
Pick it up, look at it, and squeeze it. It's only recycled grass.
One of the best ways to learn is to sit, wait, and watch.

[Glenny]

Next time you see a deer take a poop go over there and check it out..

2 well placed commas here would be lol worthy. haha