ground scrapes
 

Hey all, I was wondering is there a differance between the way a deer scrapes the ground for acorns verses turkeys I am finding a lot of clusters of scrapes but can't tell what there from. whast the best way I can't find any definate prints in the gound.
Thanks

Not all, but most of your scrapes by bucks are done under a branch of some sort, more known as a licking branch. The height of it is usually 4 1/2' to 6' with some of them higher!

If you look closely you should be able to detect some tracks. I'm no turkey man, but you may be able to find the scratches of the turkey's claws in the dirt. Also, since deer are heavier, they will leave impressions. These can be seen easier if you carefully remove some leaves over the spot where they may have stepped. When bucks make a scrape you can often see the pattern from how they were standing. They use both paws and dig in and drag out the dirt and leaves forming a V. You should see longer drags marks too.

Another thing, squirrels dig notoriously under acorn and other mast trees leaving what seems to be at times, scrapes.

iSnipe

Like iSnipe posted, look for a licking branch directly above the scrape. The small branches on the limb will be broken down or even off. Do not touch these branches.

Turkey's usually just move leaves and barely scratch the ground. Deer paw the dirt heavily and urinate in the scrape. This may sound silly but, you can get down and smell the waste.

Good luck,


Spudrow from Mo

Thanks for the replies guys

Along with the advice given above, these two are correct. Usually your deer will leave a couple hoof prints in the scrape. Usually an indication that the scrape is active and will remain active. As for the turkey scrapes, the turkeys will generally scrape the ground in all directions where as a buck will pull the leaves back in one direction. This is another good way to tell the difference.

Sounded to me like you're asking the difference between sign left by feeding deer versus feeding turkeys. Turkeys will leave patches of leaves turned up, sometimes pretty large areas. The leaves are "fluffed" up with lots of exposed ground showing. Deer do "paw" for acorns, but they don't really create the same effect on the ground. And of course, if you have both deer and turkeys feeding in the same area it can be confusing.

When deer feed on acorns, they bite and crush them, and they are pretty messy about it. Turkeys don't do that as far as I know. I think they swallow the acorn and crush them in their gizzard. When I see lots of acorn pieces left on the ground, I attribute that to deer. It should be pretty easy to see deer tracks too.

If you see patches of turned up leaves, no (or few) deer tracks, and don't see chunks of acorns left behind, my guess is the sign was left by turkeys.

UncleNorby, you're right. Turkey do swallow them whole. The first turkey I killed and done an autopsy on I found around 50 whole acorns in. Squirrel will also leave pieces of acorns everywhere but it usually around the base of a tree or on a log.