Here are a few hotos of a doe on San Jac this week, and a deer on Baldy two weeks ago.
Game trails abound, and if you take note of terrain features they are easier to spot. Think of the path *you'd* like to follow re: contours, obstacles etc.
Hmmm, what's this I see? Better keep the peepers peeled, ears unfettered, and feetses light and smooth.
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In the above image, taken in the morning, we can see that we are following the deer as she moves uptrail. (small, likely a yearling doe). Nearly all of the boot/shoe tracks are headed downhill; in fact, all are from the previous p.m. The deer tracks are new, and fresh, and are likely from the morning not nighttime. (see next image)
The low angle light makes it easy to discern the sharp edge of the deer print; contrast with the shoe traks in this image and that above. (more could be said here; this is the Cliff's Notes version--Mtn Cliff)
The curlicue tailwind ensures I'll be outed sooner or later, regardless of my quiet rolling gait. (NB: generally winds will move downslope through night and early morn, as cooler air settles and descends. But there are many variables..) I move forward at a moderate pace, eyes alternating from trail for quiet foot placement to forest-scan for parts of deer. I pause periodically to listen, and scrutinize. I am not tracking the deer, which has gone off-trail, as I have many miles of hiking ahead today, but it would be nice to see the deer. Fifteen minutes of keen anticipation and ... bingo.
Approaching a large rock at a curve in the trail, I spot a tawny arch about twenty paces beyond the rock. I crouch in cover of the rock, take out the camera (latch--no velcro!), and hit the switch. The wait for powerup is as frustrating as the apparent loudness of the motor as the lens extends. More grinding as I pre-zoom the camera for the shot. Grrr. I ease above sightline of the rock, in line with a tree behind me to help break up my shape. The camera whirrs as it focuses, and the doe looks my way, ears fanned forward and nose twitching.
She can smell the human and hear the odd sounds, but she has not been startled. She dips her head to the forest floor for a few more tasty forbs, before deciding to relocate. No doubt intolerant of the smell of "stinking paws, (of this) damn dirty ape!"
She moves parallel to the trail with a mix of a few quick steps punctuated with pauses and shuffles.
"Ahh, here's another tasty forb I can't resist:"
Now thirty yards downwind, all is quiet to the rear. She feels no threat, and and settles in to resume breakfast. And I must tarry no more, and resume briskly jaunting uptrail.
In brief, here's a deer on Baldy a couple weeks ago. Roadkill style, he came charging out of the bush right in front of me as i hustled downslope. I whistled to make him pause and gime me time to dig out and deploy the camera. He moved off more slowly than he had burst on the scene. He's just a young spikester.
Thanks for looking,
arocknoid
