Following a track will get you some good exercise and teach you a lot about game movement, but it is a poor choice for harvesting game. Try to understand where the game wants to be to feed and bed by scouting, usually before season, and intercept them in their travels.
In open areas most scouting is done with binoculars so you do not spread your scent around. In dense cover you will have to leave boot prints. Just try not to disturb the game while scouting or you could change their pattern completely. You will be amazed at how well game can hear and smell.
Game can (and usually will) change feeding and bedding patterns at different times of year. Finding where the feeding areas are in the Spring or Summer normally does not help much, but it does give you an idea if game is in the general area.
Last edited by Big Uncle; 02-10-2015 at 09:19 AM.