Buck Thrashing a Plant

A mature buck uses his antlers on a shrub

One common sign that trackers find in the fall is the torn-apart shrubs and bushes that have been attacked by bucks. Bucks use their antlers to thrash the plants. It's a display of dominance and is used to show that one buck is stronger than another. It also leaves quite a lot of sign that trackers can detect. When you are out tracking, be sure to watch not only the ground, but the vegetation. This aerial sign, or spoor, can help you learn about the animals in your area.

In this video, you can see a mature blacktailed deer buck as he works on a small shrub of coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis). He stops several times to look back at a doe who is walking past, but out of view of the camera. A smaller buck was on the other side of the field. The two bucks did not interact.  This buck also ignored the human photographer. You can see more photos of buck damage on various plants and trees on the deer rutting sign page of this web site. These photos help trackers learn what signs to look for.

 

Go to the main page of Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den

Find tracking posters, greeting cards, t-shirts, hats, and more in my new store.

Now available: "Animals Don't Cover Their Tracks - An Introduction to Animal Tracking" on CD! (Version 3.0) New drawings, more species, more photos, more extensive sections on tracking humans, more detailed directions for plaster casting, mystery tracks section, tracking stories section, and more. The CD features over 100 species, including special bonus sections with the tracks of some African and Australian animals. A large section on tracking lost people for search and rescue is included, with over four pages of photos showing the details of tracks and signs people leave. Easy to use format. This web site is limited by bandwidth, but the CD-ROM is not. The CD is available in my online store at: www.dirt-time.com  Works with Mac or PC. Happy tracking!!

What else can you find in the nature store? Beartracker's animal tracks coloring book, T-shirts, sweatshirts, journals, book bags, toddler and infant apparel, mouse pads, posters, postcards, coffee mugs, travel mugs, clocks, Frisbees, bumper stickers, hats, stickers, and many more items. All with tracks or paw  prints, or nature scenes. Custom products are available. If you don't see the track you want on the product you want, email me and I can probably create it. Proceeds from all sales go to pay the monthly fees for this web site. You can help support this site as well as get great tracking products! Thank you!

 

Find other tracking products: www.zazzle.com/tracker8459*

 

Also visit these fine stores for more products of interest:

NDN Pride shop - For Indian Pride items for all tribes. Custom items available on request.

ASL Signs of Love - For anyone who uses or is learning ASL, American Sign Language. Custom name items and more are available here.

Get Every Child Outdoors (Get E.C.O.) - My shop dedicated to nature and getting kids interested in nature and the outdoors.

Sales from all stores give commissions to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den, which helps keep this site online as a free service. We are celebrating ten years online this year!

 

 

 

prints

Got a tracking story? E-mail me and tell me about it.

tracker777@hotmail.com

You are visitor number:

Back to Tracking Videos Page

Back to Beartracker's Animal Tracks Den

Copyright © 2010. Text, drawings, videos, and photos by Kim A. Cabrera

 prints

Copyright © Kim A. Cabrera - Desert Moon Design

Page updated: Sunday, April 4, 2010.