armyhuntinguy

It is so funny that you ask this, i was reading a book yesterday about this and most everyone is right when they say the only way to tell what leaves the track is if you watch them make it....However, if you have two to three inches of snow, bucks (buttons up to trophys) all drag their hind feet when they move them towards the front so if you see a drag mark to the rear paw in the snow it says there was a buck there, just no way to tell what size.

Rebel Hog

A doe will leave wider tracks in the rear, cause of a wider Pelvis and
the buck will leave wider track in the front, cause of a wider Chest.

Dirt2

This topic is a common one to argue about. I've read all the various ideas, and I reject them all, except for raw size. I have done alot of running around with alittle 6" ruler, measuring tracks. I've measured hundreds of tracks now, and I am quite certain that track width is an indicator of size, and ultimately sex. You're not going to tell a 1 1/2 y.o. buck from a doe this way, but you can tell 3 1/2 y.o. or older bucks withalmost perfect reliability. You've got to measure them, eyeballing won't work, because the differences come down to eighths of an inch. For my area in MT (your region may vary slightly):

1 3/4" wide = 1 1/2 y.o. deer
2" wide =2 1/2 y.o. buck or adult doe
2 1/4" wide = 3 1/2 y.o. buck
23/8" wide = 4 1/2+y.o. buck.

Variance may be +/- 1/8", but Ihave yet to see the old sawabout the big buck with little feet or the small buck with huge feet.Does top out at 2 1/8". Anything 2 1/4" or more is a buck, bank on it. To best measure tracks, you need a stable damp soil, or 2-4 inches of wet snow. Measure only tracks that are clear, fresh,and not splayed.