Logan Rackliff’s “Top 5 deer sign I like to see in the woods”

When it comes to big woods hunting, there’s a variety of sign that lets you know you’re in the zone when still-hunting or tracking. Here are team member Logan Rackliff’s top sign to look for that lets you know you’re onto a good buck, whether in the snow or on bare-ground.

Huge buck tracks

A square track, splayed out with long rounded toes gets me fired up. Hopefully I find this somewhat fresh in the snow and now I’m really excited for the day. I get to picture in my mind all day what he might look like and imagine where, how I might get a glimpse of him. If I find his track in the spring or while still-hunting early in the fall, it’s likely he won’t be all that far when the tracking snow comes. Without a huge track I just simply don’t get as excited about the track I’m on, my head is not as in the game.  

A large buck bed

If I see a big buck bed when there isn’t snow, then I know there is one around. If I see a large bed in the snow tracking, this is just extra confirmation on the size of the buck, though they might lay differenly at different times of year and depending on the conditions. More than anything when I find a buck bed, I know I’ve gained time on him and that’s everything when it comes to tracking. I also love to see where they lay down, you learn so much about that buck and all bucks, what they like and how they behave. 

Signs of feeding

When there’s no snow and I’m not on a track, feeding sign obviously mean deer are around and if you find a lot of feeding, you’re likely finding where the does are living and that’s a good place to come back to during the rut to pick up a good track. Feeding signs when you’re on a good buck track again, means you’re gaining time on your buck and you’re likely to gain even more time because he’s going to lay down to chew his cud sooner than later.  

Big Rubs

I love seeing all the rubs and knowing there’s bucks around, signposts are obviously the keys rubs to zero in on for catching a buck coming through or picking up a track. What really gets me excited though whether I’m on a track or not, is a tree that is just destroyed by buck, because you know that has to be a big buck that is showing his stuff, building neck muscles and getting his rut-energies out as the dominant one in the area. Again, personally for me, if it’s not a big mature buck, I'm just not as excited. 

Jumping Tracks

That's right, jumping tracks. I used to be scared to death of seeing jumping tracks of a buck I was on and would get so frustrated when I would see them without ever seeing the buck. Now when I see jumping tracks, I get excited because I know I'm actually close to the buck and definitely have time to catch him again, the chase is on and now my favorite time begins. The game has begun and there is nothing better for a tracker in my opinion.  

Big Breeding scrapes

These big breeding scrapes are similar to signposts, and it should mean there’s also does around. This is great place to still-hunt, or to look for a track when the snow flies, especially early season. It is not as important to me now though because I don’t get to do much scouting in the early season and I'm generally tracking after the rut has started and in the big woods those scrapes can go pretty quiet.