16 NEBRASKAland • JULY 2015
Everywhere Signs
By Jeff Kurrus
W
hite-tailed deer can be scouted all year. Here are a few different ways to
analyze what you're seeing in the woods and what the signs mean.
5. Scrapes – Not far from rubs are
ground areas where leaves, grass and
other material have been replaced by
bare earth. Deer will use their hooves
to scrape away these areas and will
urinate in these spots. Also search for
overhanging limbs above these scrapes
where a buck will rub his eyes, mouth
and forehead to leave scent to further
announce his presence.
Whether a hunter or photographer,
look for these signs next time afield for
a better chance at locating whitetails. ■
4. Rubs – Whitetails rub on trees to
announce their presence in an area,
and will begin to appear once their
antlers harden in late summer and early
fall. Traditionally, tree width tends to
coincide with buck size, and broken
branches can be an indicator of how tall
or wide a buck's rack may be.
3. Scat – Deer scat usually looks like
black marbles or raisins. It can further
confirm whitetail use of a game trail
or bedding area and give a pretty good
indication of how many deer are using
an area.
2. Bedding Areas – In the summer these areas will be scattered across a
landscape because of does protecting their fawns and will be made up of multiple
grass laydowns of various sizes. Look near thickets, tallgrass areas and the ends
of ridges. During this time, bucks will often bed alone. In the winter, however,
these areas will consist of evergreens and other forms of thermal cover. Know
where these areas are, but don't get too close throughout the season.
1. Trails and Tracks – Some people
think game trails are distinct for
individual species – like a raccoon
has its own road, a bobcat another,
etc. Game trails that don't go directly
to and from a burrow are used by all
animals, including deer. Pay attention
to the locations of game trails,
especially when more than one of these
trails cross. Most of the time these
trails will be near fence lines and field
edges, and are paths connecting where
whitetails eat, sleep and drink.
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN
