Deer trails?
 

What does it mean when you have a real good deertrail and it fads away to nothing all the sudden?

Just fishing for opinions. THANKS.

RE: Deer trails?
 

When I see that it's because the one large trail breaks off into several smaller trails. A great spot to hang a stand oftentimes.

RE: Deer trails?
 

Ok... I got that but why does one large trail break off into several smaller trails?

RE: Deer trails?
 

I would assume many different reasons, all of which could vary according to specific areas, times of the year, etc.

The experience I had with something like this was a trail that ran along a ridge, once the ridge widened out into a bench - the trail split in a few spots. There was bedding cover as well as some oak stands on this bench and there were trails that split and went towards those areas. Those same trails then either converged again down the ridge or just faded away into complete nothingness on the backsides of the cover and food sources. It was a pretty nice little spot and I took a couple deer during consecutive rifle seasons (this is before I started to bowhunt) but then we lost permission for that piece of property :( (friends moved away)

RE: Deer trails?
 

I have some really heavily traveled trails that do just that. In one case it fades completely away as it enters a white oak flat that also has more wintergreen than anywhere I hunt and they seem to love it. It doesn't make them taste minty though.

The other trail fades away as it enters a big swamp. I just attribute it to them speading out before they bed but that is just a guess.

I really believe that in areas without agriculture they meander more than if there was a solid local food sources. My deer wander all over the place and bed in different areas consistantly. Geez they are confusing.

RE: Deer trails?
 

Other trails could be leading to bedding areas, feeding areas, staging areas etc.

RE: Deer trails?
 

Thats my deer[:@], it gets frustraing sometimes....makes them hard to pattern.

RE: Deer trails?
 

I see this some In the woods I hunt. Last year the stand I shot my 140" buck In was a prime example of what your talking about. At least where I am It seems they get to this certain spot and from there on they kind of go where they want. I actually like these areas more, less pin pointing one has to do. It gives you a little freedom on where to put a stand up. It seems when I find area's like this It's close to the edge of a woods (with In 60 yards).

RE: Deer trails?
 

I don't think I would be too concerned with what I don't see or know....and concentrate more on what I do see and know.....

RE: Deer trails?
 

Where I hunt, I rarely see deer just walking down game trails out in the open. They seem to roam and move as they please, and are very unpredictable. I don't take too much stock in well used game trails once the season gets underway, and the hunting pressure increases.

RE: Deer trails?
 

Thanks Steve, this thread is gearedmore forreaders. Itcould helpus think of thingswe havent thought of before and grow as hunters.

Where I hunt, when this accrues the deer are near a bedding area, food source or area they like to brows through.By paying close attention and taking notes, I know where the preferredfood sources and bedding areas are at diffrent times of the year. It's amazing how fast things change, late summer, fall andearly winter.

RE: Deer trails?
 

I hunted an area like that this morning. There is a heavy trail entering a woodlot. The deer hit this woodlot on their way back to bedding in a standing corn field. Once they get about 2/3 in the woods, they reach a stand of oaks in which they feed on acorns before entering the corn.

On the topic of how fast things can change,deer will enterthis woodlot from the opposite direction once the corn is cut. They will enter the woodlot from the field that they are currently bedding in. This happens every year that field is corn. If it's standing, they enter from the north. If it's cut, they enter from the south.