I've heard different theories about how to read elk sign, particularly droppings and tell how old they are. The steamin' ones are pretty easy but after it cools off is where it gets questionable. I've heard that if you roll them with your foot and they're still green on the inside then they're not more than a few hours old. Any truth to that? I'd think that ambient conditions would play into how fast the inside of an elk turd turns color. I've also heard that a bulls droppings are a different shape than a cow, more of a patty than little balls.
There seems to be plenty of us on this board that are full of it, so how bout sharing some of your knowledge of manure with rest of us!!

Life begins where the pavement ends!

Edited by - ArcticBowMan on 02/08/2003 18:22:01

I just pick it up and pinch it to see how soft it is. If I can pinch it easily then I know they are hanging around. I also rub it on my boots and clothes and take a pocketful back for my buddies sleeping bag unless I can find a snake to throw in. Good hunting.

smell....... huhhhhh smell......... smell like elk poop

yep smell like elk poop

taste.......huhhhhhhhhh.....taste huhhhhh....you taste it<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

IF IT IS TO BE......
IT IS UP TO ME......

gleninAZ has the correct thoughts on elk droppings and how old they are, if you can smoosh them they're fresh! And when you taste them and they taste like sign they're still fresh! <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> But seriously, I've found the opposite is true on the consitencey of the droppings. A cow elk would have the paddy type droppings and a bull would have pellets. From reading the facts from a fish and game biologist it has been stated that because of the wide hips that a cow has from giving birth that her bowl tract is much wider, thus resulting in paddy type droppings. A cow can drop pellet type droppings but the dimples in the pellets will be every which way as the tract is not lined up tightly. On the other had a bull's droppings are in a much tighter tract and line up to the point of dimpling one another on the ends, thus you can distingusih a bulls droppings from a cows.
elknut1.

www.elknut.com
Bugling Bulls & Beyond!

Edited by - elknut1 on 02/09/2003 00:24:06

Edited by - elknut1 on 02/09/2003 00:24:41

Edited by - arcticbowman on 02/09/2003 16:28:31

Edited by - elknut1 on 02/09/2003 00:27:10

Edited by - arcticbowman on 02/09/2003 16:30:24

Color, moistness (shinny or dull), an' tenderness are the main ways. Also, you gotta notice how they're laid out. Is the elk movin' and how fast? Does he pause to do his business? Is he lookin' back as he's doin' it? Is he on rocks (elk do this to lose somebody trackin' 'em, but don't control their poop shoot when they're doin' it). What is the elk eatin' (lil' balls or patties)? Is it a bull or a cow (shape, size)?

BJ

That's two replies I had to edit on this thread for people skirting the profanity filter by using @ and !. Take a minute to read through the posting rules please.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

I've been watching this poop analysis (fresh vs old and bull vs cow) thread with some interest waiting for some one to bring up the primary factor underlying the poop hardness and shape (patties and pellets) discussion. BJ was first to point it out -- &quot;what have they been eating?&quot;. If it's late winter or drought conditions, then low moisture content of what they're eating will cause harder, dryer pellets -- if things are green grass green they'll likely be &quot;loose as a goose&quot; (patties) regardless of sex. That's the two extremes -- you have to take it into account for anything in between before moving on to any sort of aging or sexing (highly arguable on the latter for the most part). For folks who handle livestock on a day to day basis they're all too aware of &quot;what comes out depends on what went in&quot;.

Never Undergunned,
EKM

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Learn from the mistakes of others; you'll never live long enough to make them all yourself!

Everybodys touched on this pretty good. The only thing I'd like to add is weather has a bit of an effect once it leaves the body. Real dry conditions will make it seem older than it is and wet conditions will make it seem fresher. Knowledge of the recent weather pattern in the area will also help you read the sign.

Touched it purdy good? We ain' t talked talked wallers or rubs yet. How ' bout tracks. I' ve hunted with fellers what don' t know which way the elk is movin' from a set of tracks. Somebody mention how to tell if a track is fresh or old, in snow or mud or dry dirt. If its a bull or cow, whether he' s runnin' or walkin' , full belly or empty, etc. Also, trackin' a blood trail is a good skill I ain' t seed much of. One thing greenhorns don' t realize is thet when a elk is movin' fast, drops of blood move with him as they fall to the ground, leavin' the sign on the underside of vegetation or logs. You often gotta check unner stuff, not jus' look from above. An' fer cryin' out loud, don' t walk on the trail yer follerin' . Stay to the side, an' flag any sign thet is hard to see, specially if it shows a change in direction. Even with a heavy blood trail, wait a good hour to start follerin' . Let ' im lay down an' git weak. They can run a long ways leavin' buckets of blood ahind ' em, an' its never in a easy place to git mules.